DAVID Meads, 13, from Gainford, should have no need to worry abut GCSE mathematics in a few years' time if the statistics concerning his table tennis achievements this year are anything to go by.

As a cadet player at under-15 level, David is now ranked four in the country after starting the year in ninth position.

He ended his impressive year in grand style with three gold medals at an international event in Scotland.

He became the youngest ever player to turn out for his club, Darlington, in the prestigious British League Premier Division in March and also became the youngest ever to win the senior title in the recent Darlington League championships.

His early season form saw him selected for the full England junior squad at the National Table Tennis Academy in Nottingham.

He has surpassed all expectations this season and played above his ranking in most tournaments.

He took fourth place in the cadet masters series when ranked fifth, but did even better to take eighth place in the junior masters from a ranking spot of 22.

David's parents, Colin and Sharon, are highly delighted with his progress. "He has done it the hard way from a very humble beginning playing on a specially made board in the garage".

He started playing aged nine and was soon travelling to the Darlington TTC for tuition with Keith Wilson.

As the English Schools national under-14 champion, he represented his country at cadet level in the recent Four Nations Tournament in Largs.

Along with his Middlesex team-mate Daniel Rees, he was responsible for capturing the title.

He won all his matches against the Welsh, Irish and Scottish players and also captured the individual singles and doubles tournament honours.

This was a repeat of his unbeaten performance in the similar under-13 event a year ago.

David is the Durham county champion at both under-14 and under-17 and played a very good series of Four Star Select Tournaments in the cadet events despite being nearly two years below the upper age limit.

The year eight pupil has also been a valued member of an assortment of successful teams - Darlington, winners of the Junior British League Division One and the Johnny Leach Cup; Durham County, winners of the National Cadet League Division 1A.

David's ranking of 14 at junior level has improved from 34, while the equivalent senior listing has witnessed a huge jump from position 563 to 116.

All this adds up to a colossal achievement for the unassuming youngster