England boys have won a bronze medal at the ISF World Schools Gymnasiade in Rio – the first time an England boys’ team has won a medal at the event.

Meanwhile, England girls enjoyed two 7-0 victories to set up their own bronze medal match later in the competition.

Following a 7-0 win over Serbia on day one, the boys’ squad was narrowly beaten 4-3 by a strong Romania team.

Isaac Kingham was beaten in four games by Robert Istrate in the first match but Max Radiven won 12-10 in a decider against Robert Podar to level the match and Kacper Piwowar then also won in five – 11-3 in the decider against Mihai Nagy – to put England ahead.

Kingham & Ralph Pattison lost the doubles in five, but England went back in front when Kingham won a tight game in four against Podar.

However, Istrate defeated Piwowar in four and Nagy then over came Radiven in four to seal the win for Romania.

England’s second match of the day was against hosts Brazil and it was a 5-2 victory which sealed the bronze.

England were never behind as Pattison won in four against Rafael De Oliveira in the first match, though Radiven was then defeated 11-5 in a decider by Vitor Iawmoto.

England won the next four as Kingham beat Felipe De Lara, the doubles was won also in four and then Pattison and Kingham beat Iwamoto and De Oliveira respectively, both in four. Radiven lost to De Lara in three in the final match.

The girls’ squad was in great form, with 7-0 victories against both Bulgaria and Serbia.

The Bulgaria match was first and there were two wins apiece for Sienna Jetha, Ella Pashley and Naomi Coker, with Coker and Jetha uniting for the doubles.

Against Serbia, Jonabel Taguibao won her two singles matches, and there were two more for Pashley and Jetha, while Taguibao & Coker battled hard to a 3-2 win in the doubles – 11-3 in the decider, the only match which went the distance.

The boys still have China to play in their final match, while the girls will play Brazil in their bronze medal match.