Commonwealth Games, Day Five Finals: Jersey Boy Filip Nowacki Wins 200 Breast
Filip Nowacki made history for Jersey at the Commonwealth Games, winning the men’s 200 breaststroke Tuesday night.
The teenager bested the field at the Tollcross International Aquatic Centre in Glasgow with a time of 2:07.87. He was a half-second up on Canada’s Oliver Dawson, who set a long-sought national record in 2:08.39. Australian Olympic champion Zac Stubblety-Cook was third, securing his fifth career Commonwealths medal but falling short of defending his title from Birmingham. He was third in 2:08.91, nine tenths up on Gregory Butler of England.
It’s just the second gold medal ever for Jersey at the Commonwealth Games in any sport, dating to its first participation in 1958, and its fifth medal overall. Nowacki picked up the isle’s first silver in the 100 breast and now joins Colin Mallett’s gold in the Open Full Bore Rifle competition as the only golds. Nowacki’s silver was the first medal for the Isle since Mallett in 1990.
Nowacki was the wire-to-wire winner, out in 1:01.44 to build a four-tenths lead on Dawson. He added three tenths on the third 50 for plenty of cushion coming home. Nowacki’s time is a half-second off his best of 2:07.32.
As consolation prizes go, Dawson’s is a pretty solid one. He came home in 33.36 to get in in 2:08.39. That dashes the Canadian record of 2:08.84 set by Mike Brown at the 2008 Olympics. It’s the second-oldest Canadian record on the books, with only Brian Johns’ 400 IM from the Beijing Olympics and Brent Hayden’s 100 free from the 2009 World Championships remaining among the long-course marks from the supersuited era. (All three female breaststroke records remain.)
Dawson has been on a tear in that department, all in the UK: He reset the Canadian records in the 50 and 100 breast at the AP Race London International in May.
Dawson’s medal is the second of the session for the Canadian men’s team, joining Lorne Wigginton’s 400 IM bronze, and adds to the gold of Josh Liendo in the 100 fly.
Dawson led the way in prelims at 2:10.05 in a slow first heat in which he was one of just two qualifiers. Stubblety-Cook won the second heat in 2:11.07, towing teammate Lello to the line in 2:11.65. Nowacki won the third heat, outdistancing Butler by .27 seconds in 2:10.46.
As is his way, Stubblety-Cook was the fastest in the final 50 at 32.85, but the charge came from too deep. Teammate Bailey Lello was fifth in 2:10.90, then a gap to the Scottish duo of Joshua Mitchell and George Smith.
