1988. Born August 5 in Glasgow.. Brought up in Robroyston.
1993. Introduced to swimming as a five-year-old at six-week Learn to Swim block at Springburn Leisure Centre. “I didn’t like being cold and being in the water. I didn’t actually get in until the sixth and final week.”
2001. Decides to concentrate on swimming rather than football. Michael is a Celtic fan whose father, also Michael, is a professional footballer who played for Albion Rovers, Alloa Athletic and Stenhousemuir.
2010. Moves to Bath University after spells in Edinburgh and Paris. Takes Commonwealth silver in the 200m breaststroke in Delhi, finishing 0.08 seconds behind Brenton Rickard of Australia.
2011. European Championship bronze in his Szczecin, Poland in his favoured event.
2012. Olympic silver behind Dániel Gyurta in London makes him GB’s only male swimming medalist. Finishes second again to the Hungarian at the Worlds in Istanbul.
2013. Pushes himself so hard in training that his heart slows abnormally and requires electric shock to restart. Can finish no higher than fifth in the World Championships in Barcelona.
2014. Local hero and poster boy of the Glasgow games, ends up with a silver medal in the 200m breaststroke but is shocked by his countryman Ross Murdoch.
2015. Misses out on World Championships but moves back from Bath to Edinburgh to boost his Rio bid.
2016. Fails to qualify for Rio after finishing behind England’s Andrew Willis, and fellow Scots Craig Benson and Murdoch at the Olympic trials back in Tollcross. Works in Brazil as BBC pundit instead.
2017. Retires from the sport in February, revealing details of his struggles with depression.
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