Romanian – Michmutters
Categories
Sports

David Popovici breaks 100m freestyle world record, age, who is he, European Championships, latest, updates

As David Popovici has accelerated past his older rivals in the pool this summer, it seemed inevitable that the skinny 17-year-old would threaten world records, the only surprise when he broke the 100m freestyle mark in Rome on Saturday was that he got so quick so fast

On Friday, the Romanian had become only the fourth man in history to swim under 47sec as he set a European record to win his semi-final at the European Championships in Rome.

Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

That was more than half a second faster than his gold-medal time at the World Championships in June.

On Saturday, he was even quicker, swimming 46.86sec to slice 0.05sec off the record set by Brazilian Cesar Cielo in the 2009 World Championships, also in Rome, in the era of buoyant body suits.

“Yesterday I said that the European record was just one step in the right direction – and I was right. There was no rush and I had to be extremely patient about the world record, ”he said after his victory about him.

In the World Championships in Budapest, Popovici outpaced Caeleb Dressel, who had swum the fastest 100m in a textile suit, in the heats.

The Olympic champion withdrew from the competition before the semis.

Romania’s David Popovici set a new world record in the men’s 100m freestyle. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)Source: AFP

“It’s nice being able to say that I am the fastest to ever do it and it’s a good thing to know I clashed with all of the titans of this race.”

His coach, Adrian Radulescu said that he was too surprised by the speed of Popovici’s progress.

“It’s amazing that it is happening so early,” said Radulescu, just 32.

Asked on Thursday what makes him successful, Popovici acknowledged that success comes at a price.

“When Erling Haaland, a football player, was asked the same question, he replied ‘hard work’ So, it’s just really a lot of hard work and a lot of sacrifice and it all comes down to the question of how badly do you want Item; and I really do want it, badly!”

“What are you willing to do that others aren’t? This includes living a completely different lifestyle.”

This summer, Popovici has dominated the World Championships and the European Junior Championships in his home town, Bucharest.

After Rome he plans to head to the world junior championships in Lima

“Really, all I want to get out of this meet and out of world juniors in Peru is simply having fun. The medals, the records, everything, the good times are simply a bonus. If we manage to have fun, that’s very satisfying,” he said.

Not everyone might share his idea of ​​fun.

“Everything in sports is fun. Getting extremely tired and then wanting to vomit,” he said.

“Having all sorts of lactate problems… that’s fine. It’s not fun at the time but after half an hour you don’t want to kill yourself anymore and you feel as if its all worth it.”

Popovici was nine when he joined the swimming club where Radulescu coaches.

Popovici is just 17 years of age. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)Source: AFP

“He wasn’t the easiest to train, he was mostly looking for fun, to skip his turn… But there was something special about him, he was very competitive.”

“He must have been ten years old, we were organizing a competition for swimmers of the same age,” recalled the coach.

“A 25-meter swim and the last one was eliminated… Each time, David finished second last. Ahead of him, they wanted to prove that they were good, they got tired. In the final race, the other survivor was so tired, David won.”

Popovici is unusually thin for a top swimmer.

“David has a keen sense of water,” said Radulescu.

“It’s not about how much force you can generate, but how you can put it into the speed you develop. So, yes, he is very thin, but he has enough strength to swim at higher speeds.”

But, added, the coach, Popovici’s physique will change.

“He’ll be 18 in September, his body will grow, evolve to a man’s size. It’s a challenge… to get the right balance between strength and efficiency.”

Popovici already has a nickname: ‘The Magician’.

“I was passionate about magic when I was younger, the card tricks and illusions and stuff but not anymore. It was a little hobby before swimming,” I explained.

“But yes, some people have called me The Magician because of what I do in the pool but again, I don’t think it represents me. I like to think of myself as a simple guy who just swims fast.”

.

Categories
Sports

Teen sensation David Popovici stuns swimming with recordbreaking 100m freestyle at European Championships, video

World swimming has another bona fide superstar on its hands.

Teenage sensation David Popovici continued his breakout season at the European Swimming Championships on Saturday (AEST), posting a sizzling time in the 100m freestyle semi-finals.

The 17-year-old touched the wall in 46.98 seconds, setting a new European record and breaking his own world junior record.

Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

He won his heat easily, finishing over a second ahead of Italian Lorenzo Zazzeri, while only two other swimmers, Kristof Milak and Alessandro Miressi, managed to go under 48 seconds.

Popovici became just the fourth swimmer ever to dip under the 47-second barrier, after world record holder Cesar Cielo (46.91), Alain Bernard (46.94) and Caeleb Dressel (46.96).

Bernard is still the fastest European ever but his time was not ratified by FINA in 2009 because it was swam in a non-approved suit.

Swimming fans were blown away by Popovici’s scintillating effort in Rome.

The Romanian, who goes by @chlorinedaddy on Instagram, is expected to threaten the world record again in the final, which he goes into as the raging favourite.

“It’s a fine route to the final and a step towards the right direction,” an understated Popovici said after the semi-final.

“It feels normal for me to go step-by-step and keep improving my time.”

Popovici has taken the swimming world by storm since emerging onto the scene with solid results at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

And in June, he became the first man to win the 100m and 200m freestyle double at the World Championships in nearly 50 years.

He dominated the 200m freestyle final and claimed gold in the 100m final in the absence of Kyle Chalmers and Dressel.

Earlier this year he also won three European junior titles in his home town of Bucharest.

In other events, Italian world champion Nicolo Martinenghi won the 100m breaststroke.

Martinenghi was a double gold winner at the Budapest worlds and got the home crowd roaring in Rome with a time of 58.26sec in his final, beating countryman Federico Poggio by 0.72sec.

Andrius Sidlauskas took the bronze for Lithuania.

Margherita Panziera won the 200m backstroke, Thomas Ceccon claimed the honors in the 50m butterfly and Simona Quadarella won European gold in the 800m freestyle for the third straight time.

With AFP

.