BILLINGHAM’S Joe Clark ended his junior table tennis career on a massive high as he won double gold at the PG Mutual Cadet & Junior National Championships.

Second-seed Clark beat fourth-seed James Smith 4-2 in the final to claim his first national singles title at any age group.

Smith had earlier beaten Hartlepool player Joe Cope 4-1 in the semi-finals, meaning Cope took home a bronze.

“I feel good,” said 17-year-old Clark. “It’s my first singles national title, definitely the highlight of my career, and it's good to do it in my last ever junior tournament domestically. I played well and did everything I needed to do.

“He played well to come back to 3-2, but in the last end I just changed the position of where I was hitting the ball and did well to win the game.”

Clark’s second gold came in the boys’ doubles as he teamed up with Shayan Siraj, although the top seeds had to do it the hard way as they came back from 2-0 down in both the semi-final and final.

First, they recovered to beat Sam Wilson and Alexander Ahl, and then, in a tight final, they overcame Smith & Ethan Walsh despite their opponents saving four match points.

Meanwhile, Holly Williams was delighted to end her junior career with a gold medal at the same event.

The 17-year-old Middlesbrough College student was knocked out in the group stages of the singles and had to settle for a place in the consolation singles.

But she came through a series of tough matches to take the gold, including going to deciding sets in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

“I'm quite proud of myself because I picked my game up after not playing very well at the beginning,” said Williams. “I was hoping to get out of my group but I'm glad to leave with a gold medal from my last Junior Nationals.”

In the mixed doubles, Williams & Kieran Wardell were beaten in the first round by Erin Green and Naphong Boonyaprapa.