Nowacki wins Jersey's first medal in 36 years

Swimmer Filip Nowacki has won Jersey's first Commonwealth Games medal in 36 years after taking silver in the 100m breaststroke.

The 18-year-old, who is the world junior 100m and 200m breaststroke champion, finished second behind Australia's Sam Williamson by 0.17 seconds with world record-holder Adam Ramsay-Peaty 0.31 seconds behind him in third.

Nowacki was fourth going into the turn at 50m but put in a superb second 50m leg to overtake Ramsay-Peaty and the early leader South Africa's Michael Houlie.

"I'm really happy with that swim," Nowacki told BBC Jersey.

"It was just a touch outside my personal best, but it's a true privilege racing Adam, the Aussies and the very best in the world in a senior environment."

The teenager has more chances for medals later in the week as he aims to become the most decorated Jersey athlete at the Commonwealth Games - the highest level islanders can compete at under their own flag.

He will race against mentor and world record-holder Ramsay-Peaty in the 50m breaststroke which starts on Sunday.

Nowacki's best chance of winning gold looks to be in the 200m breaststroke which begins on Tuesday - he is the reigning British champion and is the fastest qualifier for the event.

"It gives me confidence going forwards," he added.

"But it's not given that my 200's going to be great, so it's just about focusing in on the 200 now and the 50 tomorrow.

"I love getting my hand on the wall and top three bringing back some silverware and I'm very happy with that."

Having grown up on an island with about 100,000 inhabitants, Nowacki is rapidly become one of the best breaststrokers in the world.

He left Jersey to train at Millfield School and will move to Loughborough after the Games to continue his swimming as part of Team GB's elite squad preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Nathan Jegou, who coached Nowacki as a youngster and is managing the Jersey swimming team in Glasgow, says he is excited at what the islander can do.

"It's just the start of his journey, and the last two years for him has been phenomenal," he told BBC Jersey.

"I'm excited to see what he does and we're proud that he's one of us.

"We're such a small island, to come here and get a silver medal, it means everything to him, means everything to us, and we hope he can maybe do it again later in the week."

Nowacki becomes just the fifth person to ever win a Commonwealth Games medal while representing Jersey.

The last time Jersey made it onto the podium was in 1990 when Colin Mallett won the island's only gold medal in fullbore shooting, before teaming up with his father Cliff to win pairs bronze.

Four years earlier, bantamweight boxer John Sillitoe won bronze in Edinburgh, while Jersey's first-ever medal was also in the ring when Albert Turmel won welterweight bronze in Perth in 1962.

Islanders have won medals for England - diver Dot Macready won 10m gold in 1934, while more recently Serena Guthrie was part of the England team that won netball gold in 2018.

In 2006 Rebecca Herbert was part of the England hockey team that won bronze, while there were two bronze medals in 2002 for islanders representing England - Elizabeth Cann in badminton and swimmer Simon Militis in the 200m backstroke.

With two more events to go, Nowacki has the chance to equal Colin Mallett as the only islander to win two medals.

But at the age of 18 who would bet against the swimmer going on to become the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete in Jersey's history?