‘Beautiful Jersey’ echoed around a Commonwealth Games arena for the first time in 36 years last night after Jersey’s 18-year-old swimming sensation Filip Nowacki powered to a historic gold medal.
Filip Nowacki is only the second person to win a Commonwealth gold medal whilst representing Jersey, and the first to win in the swimming pool.
The teenager won Jersey’s first gold medal since 1990 last night, just three days after winning a silver medal in the 100m breaststroke.
Nowacki’s time of 2:07:87 in the 200m breaststroke, beating the second-placed Canadian Oliver Dawson by a huge 0.52 seconds.
At the medal ceremony, ‘Beautiful Jersey’ – recently confirmed as the Island’s national anthem – rang out across the arena for the first time at a Commonwealth Games since 1990.
Among those to praise the young swimmer was Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham who said it was “an incredible achievement that reflects years of hard work, dedication and determination”, and “a moment that I’m sure will inspire future generations of young island athletes”.
