August 2, 2022 1.46 pm This story is over 18 months old

Skegness table tennis player wins team bronze at Commonwealth Games

Another bronze for a Lincolnshire competitor

By Local Democracy Reporter

Lincolnshire-based sports star Tom Jarvis has won a bronze medal as part of England’s Commonwealth Games table tennis team in Birmingham.

Jarvis, 22, born and raised in Skegness, was part of a strong England team that fancied its chances of a medal in table tennis at the Commonwealth Games, currently taking place in Birmingham.

It has been a very successful year for Tom, having won his first English Championships in 2022 and following that up with a selection in England’s Commonwealth Games squad.

He spoke to The Lincolnite ahead of the Games, saying “it doesn’t get much bigger” than a home competition, and while he had ambitions of gold, he and his England teammates will have to settle for bronze this time round.

Tom has played table tennis for 16 years, and has been winning competitions for a decade. | Photo: Alan Man

After racing into the semi-finals, England were met with a shock defeat to Singapore to deny their hopes of a gold medal matchup, instead relegating them to a bronze medal showdown with Nigeria.

Jarvis did not feature in the semi-final defeat, but he showed his quality on Tuesday by comfortably winning his doubles match alongside Paul Drinkhall against the Nigerian duo of Bode Abiodun and Olajide Omotayo.

Liam Pritchard and Paul Drinkhall then went on to cruise through their singles matches and secure a bronze medal for England, less than a day after the disappointment of that Singapore defeat.

It follows another team bronze at the Games involving a Lincolnshire competitor, when 18-year-old Grantham swimmer Freya Colbert came 3rd as part of the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle relay final on Sunday.

Grantham swimming sensation Freya Colbert. | Photo: @chewbokeh/Steve Li

Keeping in Lincolnshire, Lincoln-based distance runner Sam Atkin will be looking to write his name in the history books in the 10,000m final on Tuesday evening, as well as the 5,000m final on Saturday.

Newark’s Shona McAllin, a two-time Olympic medalist, will also be aiming for a spot on the podium with the England hockey team.