Filip Nowacki wins Jersey's first Commonwealth medal in three decades

Filip Nowacki (left) beats Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty by 0.31 seconds in Glasgow Credit: PA

Filip Nowacki has won silver in the Men's 100m Breaststroke Final at the Commonwealth Games, securing Jersey's first medal in 36 years.

The 18-year-old finished in 59.34 seconds, just 0.17 seconds behind Australian champion Sam Williamson on Saturday night (25 July).

Nowacki also narrowly beat three-time Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty, who finished 0.31 seconds behind with a 59.65.

Speaking to ITV News he said: "I'm really happy with that swim, just a touch outside my PB but it's a true privilege racing Adam, the Aussies, the very best in the world and in a senior environment.

"I'd obviously love to win but beating Adam, beating all the rest, is truly amazing and it gives me confidence going forwards.

"My training's been really good, I've trained very hard. It's definitely been a challenging year, in the sense that I'm getting older, I'm learning a lot about myself."

The islander's success comes at his first senior Commonwealth Games Credit: PA

It’s Jersey’s first Commonwealth Games medal since Colin Mallett won individual gold in the Full Bore Rifle event and bronze with his father Cliff, at Auckland in 1990.

The result is also the island’s first medal in swimming and its first silver at a senior Commonwealth Games.

It comes after a hugely successful year for the reigning double world junior champion.

Nowacki won the 100m and 200m breaststroke titles at the 2025 World Junior Championships and collected four gold medals at the European Junior Championships.

He also won multiple gold medals while representing Jersey at the 2025 Island Games in Orkney.

In April, he claimed his first senior British title by winning the 200m breaststroke in 2:08.52.

Jersey swimming coach Nathan Jegou said: "You wouldn't know he was nervous at all, biggest race of his life probably.

"I think we're more excited than he his, he knows he's got another job to do later in the week.

"It's huge for the island, huge for the club. Just even his friends here supporting, the amount of people from Jersey in here supporting, it's great for us."

In a post on social media, the island's Chief Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, added his "warmest congratulations" for a "fantastic silver medal".

He said: "An outstanding achievement and a proud moment for Jersey. Wishing Filip and the whole island team every success for the rest of the Games."

Nowacki will return to the pool for the 50m breaststroke on Monday, before contesting his favoured 200m event on Tuesday.

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