:Matt Bush (taekwondo)
{{Short description|Welsh para taekwondo practitioner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Matt Bush
| headercolor = Gold
| native_name =
| birth_name =
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| nationality = {{GBR}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|12|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Pembrokeshire, Wales
| death_date =
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| height =
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| website =
| country = {{GBR}}
| sport = Para Taekwondo
| disability =
| disability_class = F44
| weight_class = +80kg
| event =
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| retired =
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| worlds =
| regionals =
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| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's Para taekwondo}}
{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|Paralympic Games}}
{{Medal|Gold|2024 Paris|+80 kg}}
{{Medal|Competition|World Championships}}
{{Medal|Gold|2019 Antalya|+80 kg}}
{{Medal|Gold|2023 Veracruz|+80 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition|European Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2023 Rotterdam|+80 K44}}
{{MedalBronze|2024 Belgrade|+80 kg}}
}}
Matt Bush (born 22 December 1988) is a Welsh para taekwondo practitioner who competes in the F44 classification in the +80 kg category. Bush, who does not have a left hand and forearm, is a two-time champion at the World Para Taekwondo Championships.
Career
Prior to his para taekwondo career, Bush was a javelin thrower. He had been set to make his Paralympic debut at the 2016 Summer Paralympics but he withdrew due to a shoulder injury.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/taekwondo/articles/c888jry7ll5o |title=Bush aiming for Paralympic joy at third time of asking |publisher=BBC |date=18 June 2024}} Shortly afterward, he switched to para taekwondo.{{cite web |url=https://www.paralympics.org.uk/athletes/matt-bush |title=Matt Bush |publisher=ParalympicsGB |accessdate=30 August 2024}}
At the 2019 World Championships, Bush won the gold medal to become Britain's first world champion in para taewkwondo.{{cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/antalya-2019-day-upsets-taekwondo-worlds |title=Antalya 2019: Day of upsets at taekwondo Worlds |date=6 February 2019 |publisher=IPC}}{{cite web |url=https://www.paralympic.org/news/antalya-2019-history-made-final-day |title=Antalya 2019: History made on final day |publisher=IPC |date=7 February 2019}} He was named to the national para taekwondo squad at the rescheduled 2020 Summer Paralympics in 2021 in para taekwondo.{{cite web |url=https://paralympics.org.uk/articles/paralympicsgb-taekwondo-squad-named-for-tokyo-2020 |title=ParalympicsGB taekwondo squad named for Tokyo 2020 |publisher=ParalympicsGB |date=26 May 2021}} However he was forced to withdraw after he had injured his ACL and was replace by his teammate Joe Lane.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/disability-sport/58299215 |title=Tokyo Paralympics: World Para-taekwondo champion Matt Bush withdraws injured |publisher=BBC |date=22 August 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://paralympics.org.uk/articles/para-taekwondo-world-champion-matt-bush-withdraws-from-tokyo |title=Para Taekwondo World champion Matt Bush withdraws from Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |date=22 August 2021}} At the 2023 European Para Championships, Bush won the silver medal after losing to Ivan Mikulić in the gold medal match.{{cite web |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1139923/abuzarli-snatches-para-taekwondo-gold |title=Abuzarli snatches taekwondo gold in thrilling finish at European Para Championships |first=Geoff |last=Berkeley |date=16 August 2023}} At the World Championships in September 2023, he won his second gold medal.{{cite web |url=http://m.worldtaekwondo.org/competition/view.html?nid=140530&mcd=E07&sc=ne |title=GBR's Bush returns to top form with second Worlds title; Truesdale emerges winner again |publisher=World Taekwondo |date=24 September 2023}}
Bush competed in the 2024 European Taekwondo Championships, where he won the gold medal in his category.{{cite web |url=https://europetaekwondo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Results-Competition-Draw-Sheet-Para-All-Days.pdf |title=Results – Parataekwondo |publisher=European Judo Union |date=2024 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240829174543/https://europetaekwondo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Results-Competition-Draw-Sheet-Para-All-Days.pdf |archive-date=29 August 2024}} The following month, he was announced as one of three members and the only male of the British para taekwondo team for the 2024 Summer Paralympics.{{cite web |title=ParalympicsGB announces Para taekwondo squad for Paris 2024 |url=https://paralympics.org.uk/articles/paralympicsgb-announces-para-taekwondo-squad-for-paris-2024 |publisher=ParalympicsGB |date=18 June 2024}} Bush defeated Neutral Paralympic athlete Aliaskhab Ramazanov in the men's K44 +80 kg final to claim gold at the 2024 Paralympics Games in Paris, France.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-31 |title=Paris 2024 Paralympics: Amy Truesdale and Matt Bush win back-to-back taekwondo golds |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/taekwondo/articles/c5y3jd4j37yo |access-date=2024-08-31 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}} He was chosen as one of Great Britain's flagbearers for the closing ceremony alongside swimmer Poppy Maskill.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/ce9zeerlr9do |title=Maskill and Bush to be GB's flagbearers |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=8 September 2024}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{TaekwondoData|matt-bush.a17tk}}
- {{BPA|matt-bush}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, Matt}}
Category:Sportspeople from Carmarthenshire
Category:Welsh male taekwondo practitioners
Category:Paralympic taekwondo practitioners for Great Britain
Category:Taekwondo practitioners at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Category:Medalists at the 2024 Summer Paralympics
Category:Paralympic gold medalists for Great Britain