Olutoye Boyede was the local hero of the table tennis tournament at Hitchin over the weekend. The North Herts (Ashe Construction Ltd) banded two star tournament was at the Hitchin Boys School Sports Centre on Saturday and Sunday. Boyede from Luton is a p

Olutoye Boyede was the local hero of the table tennis tournament at Hitchin over the weekend.

The North Herts (Ashe Construction Ltd) banded two star tournament was at the Hitchin Boys' School Sports Centre on Saturday and Sunday.

Boyede from Luton is a player at the Le Roi Table Tennis Club who play their matches at the sports centre.

He won both bands on Saturday, beating Alan Fullwood of Derbyshire (14-12, 11-9, 12-10) in band two and Dariusz Zurowski of Middlesex (11-6, 12-10, 8-11, 12-10) in band one.

This feat is further emphasised as Zurowski went on to contest the men's open final on Sunday against Shaun Marples in a repeat of last year's final.

A much sharper Marples, now ranked number 30 in England, won 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 15-13. In this event, Zurowski just beat Boyede in the semi-final (9-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-8, 14-12).

Alex Murdoch of Letchworth, chairman of the English Table Tennis Association and a local league player, played in the tournament on Saturday.

He also presented the trophies, one of which went to his wife, Valerie, who was runner-up to Linda Hales of Dorset in the women's band one event. Linda also won the women's veteran event on Sunday with Val in second place.

Trophies for this event were presented by Gemma Bowler, aged 10, who was attending the event with her father Roger, a local club secretary.

The North Herts Table Tennis Association thank Ashe Construction Ltd for their continued generous support of this event now in its seventh year.

They also thank the manager and staff of the sports centre for their valued help.

Praise is also due to John and Di Jermyn, the referee and deputy, who came up from Cornwall to run the event and organiser Peter Thurman from Stotfold.

Full results

Men's band one: O Boyede (Bd) bt D Zurowski (Mi) 6, 10, -8, 10.

Men's band two: O Boyede (Bd) bt A Fullwood (Dy) 12, 9, 10.

Men's band three: E Wilson (He) bt M Purcell (Bu) -7, 7, 9, -4, 4.

Men's band four: A Gohil (Mi) bt S Murray (Ca) -10, 5, 5, 7.

Men's band five: D Janusz (Mi) bt H Ali (E) 8, 6, 4.

Men's band six: R Saxby (Bu) bt O Bawa (E) 9, 7, -8, 9.

Women's band one: L Hales (Do), V. Murdoch (Bd) Group.

Women's band two: S Hudson (Bd) bt J Whitehorn (Do) 5, -9, -7, 9, 9.

Women's band three: Rachel Pilgrim (Wa) bt J Whitehorn (Do) -9, 13, 8, 8.

Open men: S Marples (Dy) bt D Zurowski (Mi) 8, 5, -9, 13.

Open women: S Clements (He) bt L Hales (Do) 11, 6, -6, 9.

Veteran men: M Wilkins (Bu) bt A Frain (St) -4, 9, 7, 12.

Veteran women: L Hales (Do), V Murdoch (Bd) Group.

Under-21 men: Shaun Marples (Dy), D Andersson (Bu) Group.