Brighton schoolgirl Bly Twomey became Great Britain’s youngest Paralympic table tennis medallist by winning doubles bronze alongside Fliss Pickard.

A resounding 3-0 quarter-final victory over Norwegian pair Nora Korneliussen and Jenny Helene Slettum guaranteed the 14-year-old Cardinal Newman student a podium place in the WD14 classification event.

Defeat to Chinese pair Wenjuan Huang and Yucheng Jin in the evening session prevented Twomey and 30-year-old Pickard, who both have cerebral palsy, progressing to the gold medal match.

“It felt amazing, the atmosphere and everyone supporting me,” said Twomey, from Brighton.

“Just to play with Fliss is a massive achievement for me and I’m just really proud to be her doubles partner.

“I’m really proud to get a medal at my first Paralympic Games and it means a lot as I’m only 14.

“I think every match is less nerve-wracking and the atmosphere is amazing. To have four games is a bit exhausting but it just feels great to keep going and keep fighting.”

Twomey, who only picked up table tennis in 2021 and trains regularly with men’s world number one Will Bayley who is also based in Brighton.

He will also be aiming for his own table tennis medals at the Paris Paralympics. He beat Bjorn Schnake and Thomas Rau 3-0 in the round of 16 with doubles partner Martin Perry.

Twomey missed out on a medal in the mixed doubles tournament after losing in the quarter finals with partner Joshua Stacey to China’s Zhao Shuai and Mao Jingdian, both three time Paralympic champions.