Mickey Bushell

Mickey Bushell
Personal information
Born (1990-06-08) 8 June 1990
Shrewsbury, England
Residence Telford, Shropshire, England
Occupation Personal trainer
Sport
Country  United Kingdom
Sport Track and field
Disability class T53
Event(s) 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m
Team Great Britain
Medal record
Men's paralympic athletics
Representing  United Kingdom
Paralympic Games
2012 London 100 m T53
2008 Beijing 100 m T53
World Championships
2011 Christchurch 100 m T53
2013 Lyon 100 m T53
2017 London 100 m T53
European Championships
2014 Swansea 100 m T53
2016 Grosseto 100 m T53
2014 Swansea 200 m T53
2016 Grosseto 400 m T53
Updated on 27 March 2015.
Gold post box on the corner of Arleston Lane and Wollam Road, Arleston, Telford

Michael David Bushell[1] MBE (born 8 June 1990) is a Paralympic gold medalist and personal trainer from Telford, Shropshire, England. He suffers from Lumbar Sacral Spinal Agenesis Congenital Paraplegia and competes in T53 category sprint events. He is the British record holder at 100m and 200, and a European record holder at 100m.

Early life

Bushell was born on 8 June 1990 at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. Due to his health problems doctors initially told his parents that he would probably never be able sit up or mobilise on his own. But Bushell surprised everyone when he started crawling around and eventually walking on his hands in a handstand position.[2]

Athletic career

Bushell competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China winning silver in the men's T53100 metres – T53 event. He also competed in the 200m event, but was knocked out in the first round.

On 19 June 2009, Bushell set a new 100 m T53 world record in Ibach, Switzerland, beating the old record by three one-hundredths of a second.[3]

On 3 September, in the London 2012 Paralympics, he won a gold medal for Great Britain in the T53 100m in a time of 14.75 seconds,[4] just shy of the World Record time of 14.47 seconds.[5]

He added further silverware to his collection in 2014 at the IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea, where he claimed gold in the T53 100m. He picked up a silver medal in the 200m in wet and windy conditions, but was just edged out of the medals in the 800m behind his teammate, Moatez Jomni.

After struggling with illness in 2015, Bushell made an encouraging return to action in 2016 by winning the European title in the T53 100m in Grosseto, as well as a 400m bronze.[6] Later that year he competed in the 2016 Paraolympic games in Rio defending his 100m, although was only able to manage a disappointing sixth-place finish crossing the line in 15.09s.[7]

Bushell is the current British Record holder for the T53 class in the 100m and 200m events, and also the European record holder at 100m.[8]

Health issues

Bushell suffers from Lumbar Sacral Spinal Agenesis Congenital Paraplegia. In Bushell's case this means he is missing seven vertebrae from the lower part of the spine just above the coccyx. He has no abdominal wall muscle control, his legs and hips have never fully developed and float unsupported at the lower end of his body.[9]

In 2007 during his preparations for the Paraolympic games in Bejing Bushell began suffering from recurrent kidney infection necessaitating a nephrectomy. Despite this potentially career ending condition just three months after the operation he recorded a personal best in the 100m to qualify for the Beijing Paralympics, where he won a silver in the T53.[10]

Shoulder and elbow injuries in 2013 and 2014 further threatened his career, but despite this he still managed to claim silver at the IPC World Championships in Lyon and two medals at the IPC European Championships in Swansea.

Recurrent urinary tract infections in 2015 culminated in life threatening septacaemia. At the time this was incorrectly reported by the BBC as a chlamydia infection. He subsequently made a complete recovery, although his training was significantly set back the seven month recuperation peroid.[11]

Awards and honors

After winning gold in London 2012 Bushell was honored with a golden postbox in his home town of Telford.[12]

In 2013 he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year Honours for services to athletics.[13]

Personal life

Bushell lives in Telford where he works as a personal trainer.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ GRO reference: July 1990, Vol. 30, Page 68
  2. ↑ "Mickey Bushell's Bio". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "Bushell claims 100m world record". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "One better for Bushell as Beijing silver medalist storms to London sprint gold". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  5. ↑ "Paralympics 2012: Mickey Bushell wins 100m T53 gold". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "Mickey Bushell". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  7. ↑ "Mickey Bushell "disappointed" by Paralympic performance". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  8. ↑ "Mickey Bushell". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Immerse School of Diving announce the Mickey Bushell Diving Scholarship". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Kidney operation spurred me on to win medals - Bushell". 30 July 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "Bushell back from the brink & back to chasing glory". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  12. ↑ "Telford post box goes gold in honour of Mickey Bushell". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  13. ↑ "The London Gazette, Supplement no. 60367, p.24". 29 December 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  14. ↑ "The Arena". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
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