Variety Scholarship recipient Matthew Cowdrey was born with a congenital amputation of his lower arm but went on to achieve extraordinary success as a Paralympic swimmer. One of Australia’s most decorated Paralympians, Matt earned an incredible 23 Paralympic medals, including 13 gold. By the time he retired at just 26, he held five world records, five Paralympic records and nine short-course world records. In 2019, Matt was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame as an Athlete Member, honouring his exceptional contributions to swimming.