Silver Medal on the Judo Mat
He had his opponent in sights weeks ago. Great Britain’s Daniel Powell, 33, hoped to face off with Arthur Cavalcante da Silva (BRA) in the final of the Men’s Judo -90 kg J1 Final at the Champ de Mars Arena today, 7th September. He did so after winning his semi-final bout against French judoka Cyril Jonard, but lost out to the Brazilian World number one and had to settle for silver.
Cavalcante da Silva won by scoring two Waza-Aris. A Waza-Ari can be won by holding your opponent down for over 10 seconds, or by throwing them largely on their back but less decisively than for an Ippon. Two Waza-Ari’s make up an Ippon, which wins the match.
GBR’s Daniel Powell lost his gold-medal Judo match against the new J1 -90kg Paralympic Champion, Arthur Cavalcante da Silva of Brazil. Photo: imagecomms.
Powell said after the match
“This is 16 years in the making. It’s not just a flash in the pan, pick up a hobby and go with it. This has been hell for the last 16 years. Winning, losing, breaking my body. It’s been heavy but at the same time just the most amazing feeling.
Just doing that today, it means so much.”
“I love fighting, I love doing judo, I love competing. Being able to fly around the world with the support from the National Lottery and now the support in this stadium.”
As a seeded Judoka, Powell came into the competition at the quarter-final stage but found the event pace brutal, as the final medal matches are contested on the same day as competition begins.
“I’m full of cuts and bruises. To be able to, at 33, just try and shrug it off, that’s the hardest part. But I managed to give a show for myself in that final.”
It was also a legacy match for Powell, who followed his father into the sport. Terry Powell was a double judo Paralympic bronze medallist from the 1988 Seoul and 1996 Atlanta Games.
“My dad’s old coach is actually sat in the crowd. I got to say hello and the first thing he said was, you’re better than your dad son.
I wouldn’t be here without my dad. I wouldn’t have started without my dad.”
He also credits his determined attitude to Dad, Terry. Speaking to my Ability Todaycolleague Harry Smith ahead of the Games Powell , who grew up in Liverpool, said:
“I’ve always had the attitude of of just getting on with things because that’s been passed down from my dad”
Going through a mainstream school I had to be competitive just to just to achieve anything, because you’re up against it growing up with a visual impairment.
“I was about 10 when I was registered blind so trying to sit there and learn in a class full of people who are fully sighted, it can be difficult.”
Powell bettered the colour of his Dad Terry’s two bronze Paralympic medals today, 7th September. Photo: imagecomms.
Powell took a break from Judo in 2013 and tried both athletics and swimming, but came back to the mat in 2018. He endeavours to remove access barriers in his local community by running an inclusive gym, and wants to see a change in the language used around disability sport:
“I absolutely despise the word ‘considering’, and I hate people who tell me I’m good for something ‘considering’.”
“I’m just a good athlete full stop. I don’t need to be good ‘considering my disability’, I don’t have to be strong ‘considering I can’t see’. I’m just strong, full stop.”
He wants more young people to experience the same enjoyment and confidence sport brings.
“I never feel like I go to work because I actually just enjoy what I do. If it inspires a young person to go and enjoy sport for the rest of their life, then great.”
By Lauren Lethbridge, ADJ Diploma Student