Filip Nowacki: Jersey swimmer wins island’s first medal at Commonwealth Games since 1990

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?