David Popovici makes history with European Championships gold medals

At just 21 years old, David Popovici has etched his name in swimming history by becoming the first swimmer to win both the 100m and 200m freestyle events at three different editions of the European Championships. His remarkable performances in Paris have solidified his position as one of the sport's brightest stars.

Popovici dominated the competition, clinching gold in the 200m freestyle with an impressive time of 1:44.15. He has not been defeated in this event since 2023, showcasing his consistent excellence in the pool. Tomas Navikonis and James Guy followed him, finishing second and third with times of 1:44.55 and 1:44.87, respectively.

In the 100m freestyle final, Popovici set a new European Championships record with a time of 46.56 seconds, just 16 hundredths of a second shy of the world record. His semifinal time of 1:44.56 in the 200m also demonstrated his incredible skill and speed leading up to the finals.

After his races, Popovici proudly exclaimed, 'Ici c'est Roumanie!', a testament to his dedication to representing his country on the international stage. With his achievements in Paris, he not only adds to his accolades from previous championships in Rome in 2022 and Belgrade in 2024 but also reinforces his status as a formidable competitor in the world of swimming.