Filip Nowacki, the 18-year-old swimmer, is preparing for the European Aquatics Championships in Paris this week, with little time to celebrate his recent Commonwealth Games achievements. Nowacki secured a silver medal in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke and a gold in his preferred 200m breaststroke in Glasgow.
Nowacki's gold medal in the 200m breaststroke saw him beat 2020 Olympic gold medallist Zac Stubblety-Cook. He also became Jersey's most decorated athlete in Commonwealth Games history with his two medals, claiming the island’s first gold in 36 years.
His European campaign begins on Monday in the 100m breaststroke, where he will compete alongside mentor and three-time Olympic champion Adam Ramsay-Peaty. Nowacki expressed pride in his Commonwealth Games performance, noting the pressure he felt from Jersey.
A planned clash with four-time Olympic champion Leon Marchand in the 200m breaststroke on Wednesday and Thursday will not occur, as Marchand has withdrawn from the event due to an adductor injury. Nowacki stated he would have loved to race Marchand, adding, “I’m always up for a race and that’s what’s very special: I get to race against the best in the world.”