ParalympicsGB judo’s second set of brothers, Sam and Joe Ingram, ignited the ExCeL on the final day of judo at London 2012 as Sam clinched a silver medal and Joe finished in seventh-place.  

The Coventry-born brothers enthralled the crowd as Beijing Paralympics surprise bronze medallist Sam Ingram won a superb silver to add to the bronze medal won by Ben Quilter on Thursday. 

VI European champion Sam Ingram, 27, who only took up judo at the age of 18, had a first round bye and started his campaign in the -90kg quarter-final against America’s Paralympic debutant Dartanyon Crockett.

Former Cleveland high school wrestler Crockett, 21, was a game opponent, having won his first round contest in an absorbing contest in golden score.

British Judo’s 2009 VI judoka of the year was a man on a mission as he overpowed Crockett who did well to get off Sam’s tomoe nage attempts.

Sam’s high-quality ashi-waza came to the fore as he caught the talented American with a kosoto gari foot sweep for ippon.

In the semi-final the younger Ingram brother, who trains alongside some of the country’s leading fully sighted judoka including Euan Burton, James Austin and Matthew Purrsey, faced Argentinia’s eventual bronze medallist Jorge Lencina.  

Sam, who had a significant height advantage over the two-time Parapan American Games bronze medallist, received a shido in the opening minute for successive drop attacks.

Lencina received a shido of his own for passivity and after being penalised for a second time handed Sam the lead via a yuko.

Lencina was struggling to impose himself against Sam’s hulking frame and received a third shido to award the Briton a waza-ari score to put him within touching distance of the Paralympic final.

Sam continued to dominate the fight and, as he looked as sharp in ne-waza as he did in tachi-waza, continued to be first in every exchange and eased through by his waza-ari advantage.

In the Paralympic final Sam took on Cuban Jorge Hierrezuelo Marcillis.

The red hot crowd produced an electric atmosphere as the rivals gripped up and Sam started well as Marcillis was forced to work out of a slick juji-gatame attempt.

The Cuban edged ahead with a yuko with three minutes left in the contest as the crowd found new voice and willed the Edinburgh-based star on.

Sam gave a titanic effort as the clock run down including a string of trademark tomoe nage attempts but the Cuban managed to narrowly evade giving away any points.

The Cuban held on which saw Sam capture a fine silver medal after starring all day long at the ExCeL with some superb judo. 

After stepping off the tatami and walking into the tunnel Sam returned clutching a Union Jack flag in a tribute to the fantastic support who backed him all the way and posed for photographers before rushing over to embrace with his teammates and family.  

Sam Ingram said: “I’m gutted, it feels like all the training. physio, randoris, all the hours with my coach and it’s been close but no cigar.

“I found it difficult to control the guy he was very erratic in his movements. I went over for a small score and thats judo for you. I intended on winning and it hasn’t happened, when it doesn’t work out the way you want to you have to swallow it and work harder. I intend to come back and win gold in Rio.”

Paralympic Games debutant Joe Ingram, 30, started his -100kg campaign in the first round against Canada’s 2011 Parapan American Games bronze medallist Tim Rees.

The 2010 VI world silver medallist, who trains as part of the integrated VI programme at the British Judo Performance Institute in Dartford, forced a yuko score before adding a waza-ari and sealing a stylish win by ippon.

Joe moved on to face South Korea’s world number one Gwang-Geun Choi who started at lightning pace by going a yuko up with a harai makikomi.

After both men received a shido for failing to grip the South Korean was penalised again which produced a yuko for Joe and levelled the contest with two minutes left.

Choi stepped up his work-rate and caught Joe for ippon which saw the Dartford-based judoka enter the repechage to bid for a bronze medal.

Joe received a bye and was pitted against German Oliver Upmann with the winner moving on to the bronze medal contest.

After a tense opening Joe was caught with a kouchi gari which, despite staunch objections from the British fans, was awarded as an ippon to give Upmann victory.

The defeat saw Joe finish a respectable seventh-place on his Paralympic debut.

After stepping off the tatami Joe said: “All I can say is I’m disappointed but I’m very excited for my brother to hopefully become Paralympic champion.

“I’ve produced some real good judo, I was pleased with my fight against Choi despite my loss as he’s world champion. In the next world championships and World Games I’ll make my mark and be back for Rio.”