[8] His disability severely impairs his fine motor skills and dexterity due to the spasticity in his right hand.

His father Shane is an Australian basketball representative, his brother Adam is an international tennis player,[8] and he is the cousin of retired cyclist Cadel Evans.

[citation needed] At age 13, Matthew put his swimming on hold to move with his family to Port Vila, Vanuatu.

[7] Midway through 2008, Haanappel decided to rejoin the Lilydale Swimming Club under his old coach Anne Longridge, but after a short period was promoted to the Junior and Senior State Squad under the instruction of Neil and Michael Davis.

[7] Haanappel was selected to represent Victoria at the 2008 Pacific School Games in Canberra, receiving silver and bronze medals.

[7] At his first international trip at the 2010 Internationale Deutsche Meisterschaften in Berlin, he earned a silver medal in the 50 m Youth Butterfly.

[15][16] Towards the end of 2012, after a break from training, Haanappel returned under the coaching of Jonathan Shaw at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

In 2014, Haanappel moved to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra to join the Swimming Australia National Training Centre.

After the Paralympic Pan Pacific Championships, Haanappel returned to Melbourne to undergo surgery on his left shoulder.

As of 2015, Haanappel was listed as a supported athlete at the Australian Institute of Sport under Yuriy Vdovychenko, who trains in Melbourne with Ringwood Swimming Club.

Haanappel was called up for formal selection in the 2016 Australian Paralympic Team in August after a nominated athlete was withdrawn.

[4] He was then assigned to Swimming Victoria State Team Coach, Michal Skrodzki for his preparation towards the Rio Games.

[17] Before the Rio Paralympics, Haanappel said that he hoped to inspire others and "show everyone that people with disabilities can achieve things".