Growing up in Petts Wood, he started swimming at the age of 4 and went on to join Beckenham Swimming Club at the age of 7. He broke 15 county records; 9 London region records, and qualified for his first National Championships at the age of 12 in the 200m Butterfly event. He has always had a big passion for swimming and made his Team GB debut in the LEN European Open Water Championships in 2010. After the London 2012 Olympics, Michael was close to ending his career but was convinced to relocate up North to live with his best friends and continue his training at Stockport Metro High-Performance Centre. He later went on to achieve a First-Class Honours Degree in Early Childhood Education.

In 2017, Michael was caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing attack. This was a major turning point in his life and subsequently led him to represent Team Jamaica, his father’s place of birth, to help grow the sport in the Caribbean. After narrowly missing out on the Commonwealth Games Selection Team in 2018, he prioritised life outside of sport and came out publicly as gay on E! Entertainment, making him the Caribbean’s first openly gay member on a national team. Since then, he’s been a trailblazer in the community and inspires generations of athletes worldwide to be their true selves.

Since officially retiring from competitive swimming in 2022, Michael has launched himself into the entertainment industry appearing on Television shows such as Lorraine, Morning Live and BBC Children in Need. He’s also a regular pundit/presenter and avid speaker and hosted the live swimming events at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. In addition, he’s a proud Ambassador for Pride House at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games and will use his platform to ensure all athletes feel safe this Summer and beyond. As a passionate advocate for championing equality, diversity and inclusion, Michael helps provide multiple opportunities for minority and underrepresented communities around the UK and launched Speedo UK’s Swim United Campaign to inspire, educate and remove barriers in sport.