“I managed to sneak my way into the final at the time, and finished just three or four seconds off him,” he told BBC Radio Jersey.

“To now be giving him a proper race and swimming next to him is truly amazing.”

As well as success in the European championships, Nowacki also scooped two gold medals at the 2025 World Junior Championships.

He shone at the 2025 Island Games in Orkney when he won eight more gold medals while representing Jersey.

He is set to compete for the island at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and is part of the Team GB set-up focusing on the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“My training has been hard but I’ve been progressing well, which I’m pleased about,” he said.

“I’m just hoping to get my head down now and hopefully smash it in the summer.”

Nowacki competes in the 50m breaststroke final later, ahead of the 200m individual medley on Friday.

He will also race in the 200m breaststroke on Saturday.