Wheelchair winner’s dad ‘proud’
Telford Journal 23rd December 2003

The father of a Telford 13 year old disabled athlete has spoken of his pride at watching his son receive a special accolade at a BBC sports personality awards event. 
Peter Bushell said The Lady Taverners Young Disabled Award, given to his son Mickey at the BBC Midlands Sports Personality of the Year Awards, rounded off a year of remarkable and inspiring achievements by his son. 

Wheelchair 
Mickey, of Telford, received £2,200 sports wheelchair from Wolves director Rachael HeyHoe Flint in recognition of his wheelchair racing achievements at The Belfrey on Dec 7th. 

Mr Bushell said, “we are all very proud of him. It was a special night – quite an experience. He was absolutely gobsmacked to receive the cheque for the chair. “But he has had a really good year overall going from strength to strength. ”He said Mickey had won a string of races throughout the year including the under 15’s 100m 200m 400m events at the West Midlands Regional and National games organised by Disability Sport England. He also came fifth in his heat at the Disability Sport England British Open Athletics Championships, which was a massive achievement considering he was the youngest competitor. Mickey is a member of Birchfield Harriers and started wheelchair racing around three years ago. He plans to take part in the London Marathon next year to raise money for The Lady Taverners. 

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Young Stag At BBC Midlands Sport Awards
 Featured on UK Athletic website: 18th December 2003

Mickey Bushell of Birchfield Harriers was invited to the recent BBC West Midlands sporting personality of the year awards held at the Belfry Golf Course. He had been nominated by his Nan for the Disability award and although Mickey did not make the top three for the award, he had a big surprise waiting for him.  He was awarded with a cheque for £2,200 by The Lady Taverners for a new racing chair.  Mickey was presented with his award by the president of the charity, which supports young people with disabilities in their chosen sports, former England Cricket Captain Rachael Hey-Hoe Flint M.B.E pictured on the left.  Mickey and his family would like to thank Rachael Hey-Hoe Flint and The Lady Taverners for enabling him to now have his own custom built race chair.

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Dad’s pride at sport prize for disabled son
Shropshire Star 13th December 2003

The father of a 13-year old disabled athlete, from Telford, has spoken of his pride at watching his son receive a special accolade at a BBC sports personality awards event. Peter Bushell said The lady Taverners young disabled Award given to his son Mickey, at the BBC Midlands sports personality of the year awards rounded off a year of remarkable and inspiring achievements of his son. Mickey, of Telford, received a £2,200 sports wheelchair from Wolves director Rachael HeyHoe Flint, in recognition of his wheelchair racing achievements at the Belfrey on December 7th. Mr Bushell said “we are very proud of him. It was a special night quite an experience. He was absolutely gobsmacked to receive the cheque for the chair.”

“But he has had a really good year overall, going from strength to strength.” He said Mickey had won a string of races throughout the year, including the under 15’s 100metre 200metre and 400metre events at the West Midlands regional and national games organised by Disability Sport England. He also came fifth in his heat at the Disability Sport England British open athletics championships. Mickey plans to take part in the London Marathon next year to raise money for The Lady Taverners. 

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Mickey’s life in fast lane after £2,200 award 
Shropshire Star 12th December 2003

Shropshire school boy athlete Mickey Bushell is to be measured up for his own custom-built racing wheelchair after receiving a cheque for £2,200 in the BBC Midlands Sport Awards. 
Mickey 13, who attends the Lord Silkin school in Stirchley, Telford, trains with Birchfield Harriers. He has a string of successes in wheelchair racing, including winning the Addidas Mini London Wheelchair Marathon for under 13’s earlier this year. Mickey Bushell from Telford beat off the challenge of 30 juniors in the race from Southwalk bridge to the Mall, covering the same course as the main event. 
Accolade 
He was nominated for the disabled award at the BBC event at the famous Belfrey Golf Club, near Birmingham, on Sunday night. 

Although he missed out on that accolade, his efforts landed him a £2,200 cheque from The Lady Taverners Association and Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club. Mickey was presented with the cheque by Rachael HeyHoe Flint, the former English women’s cricket captain, who is now a Wolves director. Lord Silkin School spokeswoman Gloria Partridge said “This is fantastic for Mickey who will now be able to buy his own custom-built lightweight racing wheelchair, he will go off for the fittings and measurements to ensure it is built to his personal specification.” 

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Special Award is a Tribute to Doug 
Shropshire Star 8th December 2003

Oswestry Olympians president Doug Morris was the toast of the Midlands at a special awards ceremony. The veteran runner picked up the unsung hero award at the BBC Midlands Sports Personality of the year held at the Belfry last night. It now means Doug's name goes forward for the national title with the other regional winners and has been invited down to London for the big awards ceremony next Sunday.  He was nominated for the award by fellow Oswestry Olympians Dave and Rose Newton. Dave said: "Doug's enthusiasm for running is so infectious it goes through the club. He puts an enormous amount of work into organising races that we thought it was only right to put him in for the award. " Doug's achievements include organising the world famous Lake Vyrnwy half-marathon. 

<<Also at last night's ceremony, young disabled athlete Mickey Bushell from Telford received a £2,200 sports wheelchair from Wolves director Rachel HeyHoe-Flint in recognition of his achievements.>> Telford Raiders rugby league club received the breakthrough award while young county bowlers Jade Jones and Callum Wraight were runners-up in the special achievement awards. Wellington's Birmingham League winning cricketers were pipped to the team of the year award by Wolves.

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County Stars well placed for Awards
Shropshire Star 2nd December 2003 By Dai Lewis and James Garrison

Shropshire sports teams and personalities are on course for a bumper night of success at the inaugural BBC Midlands Sports Awards of the Year on Sunday. Wellington Cricket Club top the bill for the county after being nominated for the team of the year award along with Wolves' footballers and Gloucester Rugby Club. But a host of the county's sports stars are now in line to pick up awards at the gala evening at The Belfry. Doug Morris, president of Oswestry Olympians, is leading the way after being nominated in the Unsung Hero category and has beaten off contestants from all over the region to reach the finals night.  He was nominated by Dave Newton and his wife Rose, both members of Oswestry Olympians. "When we saw the category Unsung Hero we thought, well that's Doug," said Rose. And Dave added: "Doug's enthusiasm for running is so infectious it goes through the club. He puts an enormous amount of work into organising races that we thought it was only right to put him in for the award.

"He now organises 13 races every year and because he runs them so well they get more popular all the time. One of them is the Lake Vyrnwy Marathon which has a world wide reputation. "Dave, who is treasurer of the Oswestry Olympians and also runs for them, is hoping to go along with Rose to the finals night to cheer on their nomination. Doug has also been busy on the track representing Wales for the sixth time at veteran level in a five nations international cross-country event in Bute Park, Cardiff.

He came 11th in the over 70-year-old category and picked up a bronze medal in the team event. Shropshire's crown green bowls starlets Callum Wraight and Jade Jones are in the running for an award too. They have been forward as a dual nomination for the special achievement award after giving the county a national title double. Callum won the British Junior singles championship while Jade, also from Shrewsbury, won the British Ladies equivalent. <<The county's top two disabled stars Debbie Brennan and Mickey Bushell have been nominated for the disabled sports personality of the year and young disabled sports personality of the year, respectively.>>

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Marathon Joy For Young Birchfield Harrier Champ
Great Barr Observer 25th April 2003 by Charlotte Evans 
District Chief Reporter 

A young Birchfield Harrier star - born with seven vertebrae missing and no spinal chord - displayed qualities of guts and determination when he was first past the post in the London Marathon. Mickey Bushell, aged 12, returned home from London last week bearing his Marathon medal and prestigious winner's trophy after beating his opponents in the wheelchair category of the three mile under 13s race.  The Birchfield Harrier, who will be 13 on June 8, joined the Perry Barr club two years ago at the invitation of Keith Brennan, the father of Paralympic champion, Deborah.  Mickey and his father Peter make the journey down the M54 motorway twice a week to the Alexander Stadium, Church Road, Perry Barr, to train. 

And he is coached by Paul Hunt, who by a strange coincidence, was born with the same disability- Lumbar sacral spinal agenesis congenital paraplegia. On April 13, Mickey completed the three mile London course in a time of 15 minutes 26 seconds to convincingly win the under 13s by a margin of 25 seconds. In an impressive gritty performance, Mickey defeated several older competitors and his time was fast enough to have given him seventh place in the under 17 event. He said "It was a fantastic experience to win in London. The organizers combined the u17 and u13 age groups. 
All competitors in my age group wore light blue t-shirts to help identify the opposition. I went out fast and was pleased to win and finish seventh overall. The organization was extremely good and I was even given a helper to look after my kit when I finished the race, which was star treatment."  "I want to say thank you to my coach Paul Hunt and my parents for all their help and support." When he is not training, Mickey enjoys watching Rugby on television and listening to rap music. His favourite group is Linkin Park. His ambition is to win international honours and win Paralympic and World championship medals. He will compete next in Cardiff tomorrow (Saturday) and then in Manchester Road Race in the spring bank holiday. Other Birchfield Harriers achieved success in the London marathon. Deborah Brennan placed fourth in the women's wheelchair race, two places behind the legendary Tanni Grey-Thompson. Paul Hunt who coaches Mickey Bushell, finished Ninth Briton in the men's race in a time of two hours, six minutes. 

Carl Warren, the winner of the Reading Half Marathon last month, had a most frustrating experience in London through pains in his calves and tendons from the ten miles point which destroyed his aspirations of capital glory Carl battled on through the pain barrier to place fiftieth in two hours, 31 minutes, which was some 13 minutes lower than his career best time.  Keith Holt also had a torrid time with injuries but completed the course in three seconds less than two hours, 55 minutes in the veterans over 50 age category. In the Mini Marathon races for boys, Richard O'Donnell placed 36th in a time of 11 minutes 12 seconds in the 11-12 year old age group whilst Alex Lambert clocked 15 minutes, four seconds to finish 48th in the 13-14 age group. 

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Mick Makes Capital Gains
Birmingham Evening Mail 23rd Apr 2003 by Tom McCook

Paula Radcliffe deservedly made all the headlines following her magnificent new world record when she retained her London Marathon title, but a young Birchfield Harrier demonstrated similar qualities of guts and determination to also become a winner in the capital city on the same spring morning. Twelve year old Mickey Bushell returned home from London proudly bearing his London Marathon medal and the large prestigious Marathon winner's trophy, which now takes pride of place on top of the television. The youngster was born in Shropshire in 1990 with the rare complaint (Lumbar Sacral Spinal Agenysis Congenital Paraplegia), which means he has seven vertebrae missing and no lower spinal column.  Two years ago whilst he was a pupil at Holmer Lake Primary School in Telford, Deborah Brennan, the Para Olympic champion and her father, Keith, visited the school.  Keith invited Mickey to become a member of the Birchfield Disability athletes group. 

Now he now makes the journey down the M54 motorway twice a week to the Alexander Stadium. The Birchfield Harrier, who will be 13 on June 8, completed the three-mile course in 15 minutes and 26 seconds to convincingly win the under 13 age group event by a margin of 25 seconds.  He said: "It was a fantastic experience to win in London. "I went out fast and was pleased to win and finish seventh overall. "The organization was extremely good and I was even given a helper to look after my kit when I finished the race, which was star treatment. "I want to say thank you to my coach, Paul Hunt, and my parents for all their help and support." 

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Mickey's Marathon Win 
Shropshire Star 19th April 2003 picture By Bob Greaves 

Mickey with his trophy. Shropshire 12 year-old Mickey Bushell has won the Adidas Mini London Wheelchair Marathon for under13s, held on the same day as the main event and over part of the same course as the main race. 

Birchfield Harriers athlete Mickey, of Telford, beat off the challenge of 30 juniors in the race from Southwark Bridge to the Mall. His father Peter Bushell said: "He did really well and is absolutely thrilled with his trophy." 

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Bushell's Hard Work Lands National Titles 
Shropshire Star 21st March 2003 

A young Telford disabled athlete has scooped a handful of national titles in his bid to match the success of Shropshire Paralympic gold medallist Debbie Brennan. 
Mickey Bushell, of The Lord Silkin School, shows off some of his awards Mickey Bushell, aged 12 from The Lord Silkin School, became the under 15s national champion at 100m and 200m at a recent meeting in Blackpool. Jane Woodall, head teacher at the school, said: "We are all extremely proud of Mickey. He is a very talented young man but I know his success has resulted from hours of hard work in training at his club. "The good thing is he is very modest about his achievements and we are confident for his future.  "Mickey is a member of the successful Birchfield Harriers Athletics Club based in Perry Barr and travels to Birmingham for training several times a week.

His achievements were recognised last month when he came a close second to ex-Lord Silkin pupil Brennan for a Birmingham based Sports Personality of the Year award in a ceremony held at the National Indoor Arena.  Mickey has also been nominated for a prestigious npower Active sports award and will find out if he has been successful later in the year. 

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Rose Gardner of npower 
with Winner 
Mickey Bushell

Mickey's a Treble Winner in Brum! 
Telford Journal -May 2002 

A disabled Telford youngster scooped three gold medals at an athletic competition in Birmingham last weekend. 

Mickey Bushell, 11, of Telford, won three gold medals at the npower Active regional athletics competition at The Alexander Stadium. 

Mickey who goes to school in Telford, won the 60m, 100m and 200m under - 15's wheelchair races. 

He was one of 450 athletes aged between 10 and 60 with physical, learning and visual impairments to attend the regional championships organised by the English Federation of Disability sport. 

Dennis Hodgkins, development manager for EFDS, said: "We had a record number of events and athletes making it a huge success." 

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On The Road to Glory 
Reading Evening Post Sunday 10th March 2002 By Louise King 

What an exciting day Sunday was for all the competitors of the 2-TEN FM Reading Mini Marathon. For the first time since 1997, the 'Mini' took place on the road, with the junior athletes using the same start and finish lines as the main race.  After the half marathon had been sent on its way the younger athletes lined up at the start for their special race, the 2-TEN FM Mini Marathon. before the runners race started, four youngsters in wheelchairs were sent off in their race over the 1.3 mile course to the Caversham Road Vastern Road roundabout and back.  After only 6.46 the first wheelchair was racing into the finish at Rivermead and it was 15 year old Brian Alldis from Bury St Edmonds and racing for the Rugby Rockets in first place, with 11 year old Andrew Tongue from the same club second in 9.48.   Another 11 year old Mickey Bushell, was third in 9.50 and in fourth place was 13 year old Thomas Docherty, another Rocket. 

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