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

Nowaki is only the fifth person to win a Commonwealth Games medal while representing Jersey.

The last time Jersey took to the stage was in 1990 when Colin Mallett won the island’s only gold medal in the fullbow shoot, before his father Cliff won a pair of bronzes.

Four years earlier, bantamweight boxer John Sillitoe won bronze in Edinburgh, while Albert Turmel won welterweight bronze in Perth in 1962, Jersey’s first medal in the ring.

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 in 2002 there were two bronze medals for Islanders representing England – Elizabeth Cann in badminton and swimmer Simon Militis in the 200m backstroke.

With two events remaining, Noacki has a chance to equal Colin Mallet as the only Islander to win two medals.

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