Powell brothers pledge to come back "bigger and better" at Rio paralympics (From News Shopper)

Dan and Marc Powell train at Dartford Judo Club

10:02am Saturday 1st September 2012 in News By Kelly Smale

BROTHERS Dan and Marc Powell have pledged to come back "bigger and better" after making their Paralympic judo debuts.

The Liverpudlian duo, who train in Dartford, both left London 2012 without a medal after being knocked out of the repechage.

Dan was first to take to the mat at the ExCel and lost by ippon to world number one Matthias Krieger of Germany in the under 81kg category.

He recovered in the repechage to beat Harley Damiao Pereira, but suffered defeat to Isao Cruz Alonso of Cuba in the second session.

He said: "I must admit at first it is a bit of a downer but I am just buzzing over the whole day.

"Every emotion has run wild in my head and in my body. It is something else. I have never felt this before.

"To finish in seventh place in my first Paralympic Games, that is unbelievable for me. I would have taken that this morning.

"Before that fight, I'd have liked more but coming away now after a bit reflection I'll think 'you've done yourself proud'."

Elder brother Marc lost to Ukraine's Dmytro Solovey in the quarter-finals and then Iran's Mohammad Ali Shanani in the repechage.

He said: "The crowd and the support were fantastic. It has been an absolutely amazing experience.

"It is hard to take the positives now but the crowd is something I will never forget.

"We are focused on Rio in four years now. In a couple of weeks time I will be back in training and back sharp.

"We'll be bigger and better and it is scary what me and Dan can potentially do four years down the line."