Olympic torch joy for King

The 17-year-old table tennis talent knew towards the end of last year that she had been selected to carry the torch through her home town of Hastings on Tuesday.

But she was later chosen to represent England at the European Youth Championships in Austria from July 13-22 and was initially told a change to the day of her carrying the torch was not possible.

The Torch Relay organisers have now relented, however, and given King - the 2011 UK School Games Table Tennis Champion - a place to carry the torch in Bromley, Kent, on Monday July 23.

An overjoyed King said: “I think I have been pretty lucky as it is unusual for the organisers to change their minds. I’m obviously grateful and elated as it has enabled me to be able to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

King was not sure how the change came about, but thinks that her plight and appeal, with the support of the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) and the media, will have helped.

The Weald Table Tennis Club (Cranbrook) member had extensive coverage not only in the West Kent and East Sussex media, but also nationally, particularly through the Daily Telegraph.

Her story reached not only the ETTA website, but also that of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and European Table Tennis Union (ETTU).

See Friday’s Hastings Observer for the full article.