FLASH! David Popovici Rockets To European 100 Free Record Of 46.71; Second-Fastest All-Time
David Popovici has downed his European 100m freestyle record in 46.71 at the European Aquatics U23 Championships in Samorin.
The Olympic bronze medallist came home in the second-fastest time in history bettered only by Pan Zhanle’s WR of 46.40 from Paris 2024.
He took 0.15 from his continental record of 46.86 from the 2022 European Championships in Rome weeks after he became double world champion in Budapest. That stood as a world record until Pan went 46.80 on the leadoff for the Chinese men’s 4×1 free relay that won gold at the World Championships in Doha before his astonishing performance at last year’s Olympics.
Popovici posted 47.37 in prelims, only pulling away down the final 25 to indicate something special to come. And so it proved with the Romanian splitting 22.73/23.98 with an historic sub-24 second 50 propelling him to his fourth journey inside 47. In comparison, his splits when he set the then world record in 2022 were 22.74/24.12.
Popovici’s top five performances come in at 46.71, 46.86 (2022 European Championships), 46.88 (2024 European Championships), 46.98 (2022 Europeans, semis) and 47.07 from the 2022 world juniors.
Only Jack Alexy had broken 47 this year with a time of 46.99 at the US Championships earlier this month before Popovici’s exploits in Slovakia with Pan’s season’s best standing at 47.77.
“I would say it was pretty fast but I wouldn’t say it was unexpected because I have been feeling well,” Popovici told European Aquatics. “We haven’t tapered for this meet, we maybe slowed down a few kilometres but I try to say all the time a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer and if I’m relaxed enough and I’m happy in my personal life as well then I can achieve what I love most.
“I absolutely think it’s possible (breaking the world record). The same way it was possible for Pan to break it, the same way it was possible for me three years ago, I feel records are made to be broken and slowly but surely I’m making my way to it.”
Top Five Performers All-Time
46.40: Pan Zhanle, Paris 2024
46.71: David Popovici, European Aquatics U23 Championships 2025
46.91: Cesar Cielo, 2009 World Championships
46.94: Alain Bernard, 2009 French Championships
46.96: Caeleb Dressel, 2019 World Championships
It followed his 1:43.64 in the 200 free as he completed the sweep of senior titles available to him over four lengths in global and continental waters and bronze in the 50 in 21.86.
Jare Hribar (48.33) and Toni Dragoja (48.67) claimed a Croatia 2-3 behind Popovici.
Let’s goooo! I hope he keeps improving and breaks to WR somehow. I love his mindset