BOY WONDER Michael Colyer has topped a fabulous ski season by winning the British boy combined champion title for 2002.

The 12-year-old skier has just returned from Austria where he grabbed gold in the Super G at the British Alpine Championships.

"It has been a great season for me" said the talented skier who attends Thornden Secondary School in Chandler's Ford.

Colyer, who started skiing aged three, believed his promising skiing career was ruined when in October he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease which ruled him out of qualification for the British children's team.

However, using Steve Redgrave as an inspiration, Colyer was determined not to let the illness shatter his dream. And, with the help of a paediatrician, was back on the slopes by February competing in the British international schoolboy races'.

"At first I was just competing for enjoyment but then, when I realised I could win a medal, I really went for it, winning the silver in the GS race and the slalom," he said.

The schoolboy, who is also a talented hockey player, receives much of his education when on tour with the British Skiing Academy and is often ahead of his schoolmates when he returns to class.

He carried the flag for his school at the inter-school ski challenge and did Thornden proud, winning the gold in slalom 1 and silver in slalom 2 as well as collecting the cup for the overall champion of his age.

He grasped gold again at the English Alpine Championships before topping off a remarkable season at the British Alpine Championships.

Colyer now hopes to defend his title as Britain's number one child skier and eventually represent Great Britain, he added: "My ambition is to eventually win gold at the Olympics."