JERSEY’S Piers Le Moignan is flying high as the new Under-13 UK national badminton champion.

He struck gold with doubles partner Keval Morjaria of Middlesex as they beat James Head and Dominic Smith of Hertfordshire 15-13 in a tense final in the Doncaster Dome at the weekend.

But reaching the final was so unexpected that Island doubles champ Piers and his dad Tony had to book later flights home and Piers missed a day at school! Although Le Moignan and Morjaria have met twice on the UK’s U13 circuit this season, this was the first time they had played together.

And they only came through their qualifying group by the skin of their teeth on the number of points scored.

In the final all four players suffered from nerves but Le Moignan and Morjaria always had a small lead.

At 11-10 they produced some fine attacking play to go to match-point at 14-11 – only for the Hertfordshire pair to pull back to 14-13.

But then the Victoria College boy and his partner regained the serve, and after a tense 30-shot rally, took the title 15-13.

It is Le Moignan’s first national title, although he did win bronze in the East Anglia U13 singles this season.

Said dad Tony, a former Island croquet champion: ‘It was a really exciting match, really close.

Piers is over the moon, really proud.

‘But he didn’t expect to go all the way and it was impossible to play in the final and catch our flights home.

So we had to come back yesterday and he missed a day of school.

We’re hoping they won’t mind too much!’ Now Le Moignan will pair up with his Island title partner Harry Watson for the Carlton U13 junior squad match against Dorset U13 at the Gilson Hall in two weeks’ time.

Le Moignan is sponsored by Wheways.