David Popovici After 46.88 100 Freestyle, “This Period of Time Hasn’t Been Really a Taper One” | SwimSwam

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

2024 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• June 17-23, 2024
• LCM (50 meters)
• Belgrade, Serbia
• Prelims: 9:30 am local time
• Finals: 6:30 pm local time
• Psych Sheets 
• Men’s Storylines
• Women’s Storylines
• Live Results
• Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap

MEN’S 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL

• World Record: 46.80 – Pan Zhanle, China (2024)
• European Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, Romania (2022)
• Championship Record: 46.86 – David Popovici, Romania (2022)

1. David Popovici, Romania, 46.88
2. Nandor Nemeth, Hungary, 47.49
3. Andrej Barna, Serbia, 47.66

Former World Record holder in the event David Popovici just missed claiming his record back as he swam to a 46.88 in the men’s 100 freestyle to capture the European Title on Wednesday night. Popovici’s swim marked the #3 performance in history.

Two years ago at the European Championships, Popovici set the World Record in a 46.86. He held the record until China’s Pan Zhanle broke that record at the 2024 World Championships this February in Doha.

A few weeks ago, Popovici told SwimSwam’s Coleman Hodges at the Mare Nostrum series that having his World Record broken was “refreshing.” Popovici continued to describe it as refreshing here in Serbia.

“I’ve got really close [to the World Record]. I wouldn’t say that was really the main objective. The objective was just trying to swim as good as I could,” Popovici said. “And looks like I should have a little bit more confidence in myself, I guess, because I’ve gotten really close without really planning for it. So yeah, it’s still refreshing.”

Back at the Mare Nostrum stop, Popovici also said “I didn’t think I’d go this fast” as he swam a 1:44.74 in the 200 freestyle. He also swam a 48.49 in the 100 free.

His swim here in Serbia was much faster than his swim in Barcelona as it was the #3 fastest all-time behind only Pan’s World Record and Popovici’s former World Record.

Popovici now holds the #2 time in the World this season and has about five weeks until competition in Paris next month at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Popovici spoke of how he plans to prepare for Paris between now and then saying, “Just try and taper as good as I can keep training. This period of time hasn’t been really a taper one. It hasn’t been easy in terms of training. So that makes me even more happy with the time I just went.”

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