Last summer, Filip Nowacki announced himself as one of Europe’s most exciting breaststroke prospects. His breakout year saw him claim a double-double of European and World Junior titles with golds over 100m and 200m breaststroke, but it was his time in the longer event that really caught the eye of the swimming world.

Nowacki touched first in Otopeni in a rapid 2:07.32, missing the British Record by just 0.02. It was a performance that thrust him firmly into the limelight and which means he heads to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games as a big favourite for gold in that event where he also leads the 2026 Commonwealth rankings.

Any pressure from that sits lightly though. “I had a massive breakthrough year last year but, having said that, I think this year it’s been all about getting my head back down again.” he says, acknowledging the need to not rest on his laurels. “At the end of the day water doesn’t care who you were last year it’s a new year, new season. What I was last year doesn’t show what I’m going to be this year and I think it’s all about getting my head down like I said and training hard.

“I think it’s just about working as best I can with my coach to improve my front end speed, because at the end of the day, if my 50 improves, so does my 200 just because I can hold a quicker pace for the opening 50 of the 200.”

Adding to the pressure is the possibility of making history. No Jersey athlete has ever won a Commonwealth swimming medal, while only one Islander—shooter Colin Mallett in 1990—has ever claimed Commonwealth gold, He won’t be drawn too far on that prospect though.

“I do my best to put Jersey on the map and I’m really looking forward to the summer.”

This year Nowacki has joined the AP Race stable, working alongside a swimmer who had his own breakout onto the international stage at a Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, a certain Adam Ramsay-Peaty.

“He’s got a great opportunity. I’ll be racing him in some events as well, but the 200 especially, that for him is just his forte” says Ramsay-Peaty, who is keen to pass on his own experiences.

“I want to see him do very well as part of AP Race, but also as a person. I want to give him advice to and mentor him through this. It’s a lot of ups and downs in the sport, and it’s not all going to go perfect. Seeing how well he can handle that arena and that pressure — or how he sees pressure — is going to be very important for him two years out from LA.”

The 200m breaststroke British Record Nowacki narrowly missed last summer was set by Ross Murdoch at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the very same Tollcross pool he’ll compete in this year. Breaking it there would provide a neat symmetry. Last year established Filip Nowacki as a swimmer to watch. Glasgow offers the chance to prove he is now a swimmer to beat.