Defeated decathlete Dean Macey has vowed to bounce back from his Olympic medal disappointment to be the force to be reckoned with at the next Games.

Canvey-based Macey set a new personal best with 8567 points - 11 up on his total at the world championships last year - but finished in fourth place in Sydney.

But after two days of gruelling competition, the 22-year-old athlete said he would be challenging for the gold at the next Olympics in Athens in 2004.

Speaking after American decathlete Chris Huffins pipped him to bronze, Macey said: "I'm going to win the next two, so I don't care.

"I do care, that's a lie, but I will be in Athens in four years' time and I will be the man and before then I will be the man as well.

"I have said all along I have been looking for the 2004 Olympics. This was a bonus if I could get a medal.

"I've run my heart out and it was not good enough at the end of the day. It's the world championships next year, I'll see what I can do there."

'I'll be back' - Macey

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