DARTFORD’S Chris Bartram is the veterans table tennis national champion after victory at the national championships in Bristol.

This is the main event of the year and attracts a very high number and standard of entries from all over the country.

Bartram beat number two seed Abdul Wuraola in the semi-final to set up a final meeting with number two seed Andy Trott in the final.

Things looked promising for Bartram when he raced 2-0 up in sets but the game was turned on its head when Trott pulled it back to 2-2.

It was a battle of Bartram’s big shots against Trott’s subtle blocking all round the table.

The big shots squeezed through with Bartram eventually winning a very topsy-turvy last leg 13-11 to take the title.

He capped an impressive weekend by teaming up with Neil Harris to take runners-up spot in the men’s doubles, but it was the veterans success which pleased him most.

Bartram said: “I represented England as a junior but the junior national title always alluded me, so now I have fulfilled my dream of becoming a national champion.”