This year has been a memorable one for Merton in the Balfour Beatty London Youth Games.

Samuel Petgrave, centre, on the podium

Making the finals in cricket, winning a bronze in Year 7 male Hockey and winning individual events are just some of the boroughs achievements.

Pitched against 32 other boroughs, Merton had more than 150 children taking part in 24 different events between November and July.

Among those on the podium was Samuel Petgrave (16) who attends Harris Academy Merton for winning a gold medal in the under 75kg category in Judo. He is currently in the England Judo Squad, representing England both nationally and abroad and has been a previous winner of the British Judo Championships.

Phoebe Walder (16) who attends Wimbledon High competed in the senior slalom kayaking event and won a silver medal and was less than a second away from getting gold.

Out of the team sport categories, the hockey team coached at the Wimbledon Club, won bronze and 13-year-olds playing at the Old Rutlishians Cricket Club were finalists in the qualifying rounds which took them to the world-famous Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Team sports are coached on a voluntary basis through local sports clubs in Merton. The council’s leisure team is always on the lookout for new team managers and clubs to enter into the London Youth Games and represent the borough. Anyone interested in getting involved in local sport should email leisure@merton.gov.uk

Merton Council cabinet member for community and culture Councillor Nick Draper said: “I am very proud to see so many of our borough’s young people excelling in sport.

“We are always looking for opportunities to get young people into sport, and this is a great example of people coming together to encourage the sports stars of the future.

“Congratulations to all the young people who took part.”