In a noteworthy development for British swimming, Filip Nowacki, a rising star in the sport, has announced his decision to train at Loughborough University starting September 2026. This announcement was made through a social media post on Wednesday by Nowacki and GB Aquatics, the organization formerly known as British Swimming.
Loughborough University is home to a National Performance Center that provides advanced training facilities as well as a program closely linked to university sports, despite the British collegiate athletics system being less intense compared to its American counterpart. Nonetheless, many swimmers from Loughborough compete in BUCS, a collegiate championship meet.
This marks a significant moment for GB Aquatics, which has successfully encouraged its top talents to remain within the UK. Notably, Jacob Mills, who also considered a move to the United States, recently committed to the Performance Centre in Manchester, England.
At just 18 years old, Nowacki has already made a splash in the swimming world. He set the British Age Record for 15-year-olds in the long course 200-meter breaststroke with an impressive time of 2:16.05 in 2023 and secured medals across all three breaststroke distances during the Commonwealth Youth Games.
His achievements continued in 2024, when he claimed a silver medal in the 200 breaststroke at the European Junior Championships. The following year, Nowacki experienced a remarkable breakthrough at the World Junior Championships, where he won gold in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, along with earning two relay medals. He further excelled at the European Junior Championships, where he achieved a clean sweep of five medals in breaststroke events.
Hailing from Jersey in the Channel Islands, a region known more for its dairy cows than its athletes, Nowacki stands out as a notable swimmer from a small population of around 100,000. He represented Jersey at the Commonwealth Games, where the various parts of Great Britain compete as separate entities. Historically, Jersey has only secured four medals at the Commonwealth Games, none of which have been in swimming.
Nowacki’s swimming journey began at Tigers Jersey under coach Nathan Jegou before he transitioned to training with Keiron Piper at Millfield in England.
Here are Filip Nowacki's best recorded times:
Long Course Meter (LCM):
- 50m Breaststroke: 27.18 seconds
- 100m Breaststroke: 59.20 seconds
- 200m Breaststroke: 2:07.32 minutes
- 200 Individual Medley (IM): 2:03.30 minutes
Short Course Meter (SCM):
- 50m Breaststroke: 26.31 seconds
- 100m Breaststroke: 57.36 seconds
- 200m Breaststroke: 2:02.96 minutes
- 200 IM: 1:55.44 minutes
While Nowacki has shown tremendous potential as a short-course swimmer, his choice to train in the UK will allow him to concentrate solely on breaststroke events without the pressure of needing to diversify into other disciplines.
As Adam Peaty's career comes to a close, there is a noticeable gap in the British breaststroker roster, but fresh talent like Nowacki offers hope for the future. He currently ranks as the top swimmer in the country across all three breaststroke distances. In the 100 meters, he joins the elite group of swimmers who have dipped below the one-minute mark, alongside Gregory Butler and Max Morgan. As they continue to develop, it seems likely that these young swimmers will lead the British team well past 2028.
Meanwhile, Adam Peaty, the world record holder, is navigating a new chapter in his life after marrying Holly Ramsay, daughter of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. Peaty has expressed intentions to return to competition at the upcoming Commonwealth Games after a hiatus from long-course events in 2025, although he did make appearances at short-course World Cup meets.
As discussions unfold in the United States regarding the role of international swimmers in collegiate sports, similar debates are also taking place internationally. Sports federations favor retaining their top athletes at home, and in the past few months, GB Aquatics has marked two significant victories in retaining its promising talents. This trend aligns with their recent success, which has largely stemmed from swimmers trained domestically, particularly evident in their standout men's 200 freestyle team.
