Outstanding performances from East Glos juniors at British Junior Squash Championships
By Fiona Geaves and Brett Stevenson
Three East Glos juniors enjoyed fantastic success at the 2026 British Junior Squash Championships in Sheffield last weekend. They competed against the best junior squash players from across the UK and delivered outstanding performances.
Matthew Leung claimed the BU17 title in a gruelling five-game thriller. As the #1 seed, Matthew showed incredible determination and composure under pressure, saving three match balls in the fifth game before fighting his way to victory and becoming British Champion. A superb achievement.
Daniel Stevenson produced some excellent squash throughout the tournament to finish an impressive fifth in the BU15 event. He reached the quarter-finals without dropping a set. His only defeat came against the #1 seed, whom he pushed to four games in a highly competitive match, demonstrating just how close he is to the very best in his age group.
Daniel made a superb start by taking the first game and pushed his opponent all the way, narrowly losing the fourth game 14-12 as the match finished 3-1.
He responded brilliantly to his only defeat of the tournament, winning his remaining matches to secure fifth place and underline his consistency against some of the best junior players in the UK. The result has helped Daniel rise to #3 in the England Squash U15 rankings, an outstanding achievement in his first year in this age group.
Representing both East Gloucestershire Squash Club and Gloucestershire, Daniel should be immensely proud of his achievements. We look forward to following his continued progress during the season.
Lyla Blumberg finished eighth in the GU13, exceeding her seeding. Lyla showed great determination and maturity throughout the event, gaining valuable experience against some of the UK’s strongest players.
Sam Blumberg, unseeded coming into the event, had a tough first round against the #3/4. However, he battled through the event and finished a brilliant 21st.
East Glos coach Fiona Geaves said: “It was a privilege to be at the event supporting and coaching our players. They were all outstanding and played superbly throughout the tournament. I’m incredibly proud of the way they competed, the effort they put in and how they represented East Glos”.
Photos: Steve Cubbins