The 19-year-old finished 4th in his age group (16-19), was 7th overall, fastest overall swimmer and fastest overall Team GB athlete.

Distances were longer due to course restrictions in Vancouver and Michael had to complete a gruelling1200m swim followed by a 21km bike race and then a 5.1km run.

Back home for the briefest of breaks, Michael reflected on his recent success in Canada.

"Vancouver was a blast! Everything from the number of competitors, supporters to the tv cameras and the race officials following you on motorbikes - the whole event was an awesome amount of fun."

"There was a busy schedule of pre-race briefings, official photographs, meetings and dinners to take care of before we could get down to racing but once race day came about the nerves had built up."

"It was about 11 degrees air temperature, lashing with rain and 10 degree water temp on the morning of my event.

The Aussies and New Zealanders were seriously complaining but, to be honest, that's exactly what I'm used to training in. My race started at 7.40am but I had to be in the athletes' holding area from 7 am onwards.

The holding area at a World Championships has to be the single most intimidating place in the world! There were the teams from NZ, AUS and USA all strutting around with their coaches and physios trying to psych other racers out.

I just kept my ipod at full blast, kept warm and waited to be called through to the start."

"The second I was called up to the beach for the start I went into race mode. I had essentially trained 10 years for the chance to race on a world stage so I would be lying if I said I hadn't gone through the race situation a few hundred times! The horn went and along with 60 others in my heat (16-24 year olds) I dove into the Pacific for my 1200m swim."

" By the 400m mark I had a clear lead and the nerves had settled, as a swimmer I am most comfortable in the water so was glad to get into the front and work from there.

I exited the swim in 1st place and with a 30second lead (something I didn't think I would have!) from here I sprinted through transition, out of my wetsuit and into my helmet where I picked up my bike and headed out on the bike course."

"I managed to hold the lead for the first two laps where my still-improving bike skills gave out and the three eventual medal winners snuck past (1 American and 2 New Zealanders).

I then posted a personal best 5 km run split by over a minute to hold off the rest of the field to eventually sprint across the line in 4th place."

"Crossing the line felt like 10/11 years of work paying off. From my early years as a Cults Otters swimmer to the last few months training 30 hours a week towards this one race. It was a massive shock to finish that high up the field but I worked hard through the poor conditions and that's all you can do. Now I look forward to racing Elite for the first time, a possible day off next week and, if we're lucky, summer arriving in Aberdeen!"