Stevenage has a new world champion with a superb title-winning performance in Mexico City.

Ethan Walsh lifted the top prize in the U23 World Ping Pong Cup Championships.

The event is a slight variation to normal table tennis as it is played with a sandpaper bat as apposed to a bat which has rubbers on both sides.

The bats are supplied by the tournament host and are exchanged at the end of each leg meaning that all players are on a level playing field and playing with the same equipment.

Walsh, a former pupil of Nobel School, began his challenge against Denmark's Bjarke Krong, a match he lost as he struggled to find his rhythm.

That though was a temporary blip and wins in his remaining group matches, he finished second in the standings on countback.

It was good enough to take him into the quarter-finals and a clash with Ying Yuyue from China, one that comfortably went the way of the Stevenage man, 2-0, and then there was an equally trouble free semi-final success against France's Mattheiu Gonnin, Walsh winning 15-6 15-7.

His opponent in the final was Daniel Vitasek of the Czech Republic.

Both players had strong attacks and it looked as though it could be a classic final.

However, Walsh's relentless attacking meant Vitasek was constantly on the defensive, trying in vain to mix it up.

It didn't work and Walsh took the world title with a 15-12 15-11 victory.

And it didn't stop there.

Walsh also entered the main sandpaper event, seeded 15 in a quality field.

He continued his good form, winning every game in his group without dropping a set and then the first match in the knock-out section.

The last 16 brought another victory, beating Jan Hermann from Germany, and set up a quarter final tie with world number one Alexander Flemming.

The German was also the reigning World Ping Pong champion and it proved a very close battle.

The first leg went all the way with some tremendous rallies and attacking play, the lead swung back and forth.

Having been 13-12, Walsh claimed a double point to take the lead but that was cancelled out to leave the duo at 14-14 and facing sudden death for the first set.

Walsh held his nerve against the serve to win the set and then simply blew the German away in the second, racing into a 13-0 lead before closing out a 15-4 success.

Paul McCreery of Belfast was his semi-final opponent but it proved one game too far, coming almost immediately after winning the U23 final and his run came to an end.

It was still a tournament to remember though.

Walsh said: "I am so happy to be the U23 champion but beating Alexander Flemming, the world number 1, is my highlight and has to be up there as one of the best wins of my career.

"It gives me confidence for the future that I can win these events."

Walsh's older brother, Luke, was with him in Mexico and took part in the consolation event, getting to the semi-finals.

He said: "It was an amazing event to be part of and I can't wait for the next one."