1:43.58 Popovici Knocks Down 2009 Romanian Record In Short Course 200 Freestyle

2021 FINA WORLD CUP STOP #4 – KAZAN

  • Thursday, October 28 – Saturday, October 30th
  • Kazan Aquatics Palace, Kazan, Russia
  • Prelims: 10 am local / 3 am ET
  • Finals: 6 pm local / 11 am ET
  • SCM (25m)
  • Results

As one of many juniors making noise throughout the 2021 FINA World Cup Series, David Popovici has a successful day in Kazan by breaking the 200 freestyle Romanian record during both prelims and finals. He first swam a 1:44.13 during his morning swim which was an improvement upon the more-than-decade-old mark of 1:45.27 that Cătălin Cosma set back in 2009 at the Romanian Championships.

After lowering the national record by more than a second during prelims, Popovici improved even more during the final where he swam a 1:43.58. That means that he took the record down by more than a second and a half, bringing it from a 1:45.27 to a 1:43.58.

This Romanian record for Popovici marks his second in as many days as he lowered the short course 100 freestyle mark to a 46.77 from Marius Radu‘s 47.70 from 2015.

Prior to this meet, Popovici had not had much short course racing experience and his former PB in the 200 freestyle was a 1:54.45. His long course PB heading into the meet, however, was a 1:44.68 national record, which he set during the Tokyo Olympics. There, he pulled off a 4th place finish in the event to trail gold medalist Tom Dean (1:44.22), silver medalist Duncan Scott (1:44.26), and bronze medalist Fernando Scheffer (1:44.66).

In addition to his 4th place finish at the Olympic Games, Popovici made headlines at the 2021 European Junior Championships when he lowered the world junior record in the 100 freestyle with an electric 47.30. Popovici followed up that performance at the Olympics but was a bit slower in Tokyo, swimming a 48.03 prelim, 47.72 semi-final, and a 48.04 for 7th in the final.

Popovici will be in the pool again next week at the 2021 European Short Course Swimming Championships where he’s entered to race the 100, 200, and 400 freestyles.

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Just give the trophy to the condors already
2 years ago

Let him a bit more time and will go sub 1.40

Last edited 2 years ago by Just give the trophy to the condors already
2Fat4Speed
2 years ago

I wish Kyle did the 200 instead. I feel like he could be like PVDH. Swims the 50-100-200 with the 100 being the sweet spot.

Mr Piano
Reply to  2Fat4Speed
2 years ago

Honestly PVDH’s 200 free was equally as good as his 100. He went 1:45 low multiple times and 1:44.8. With today’s suits he’d be 1:43 for sure. He usually went 48 low in the 100 free, with his pb being 47.84. With today’s suits that’s probably 47 flat. He did all that with the worst underwaters too lol.

dddddddd
Reply to  Mr Piano
2 years ago

his 200 free remains in the top 25 while his 100 free doesn’t

Thorpedo
Reply to  Mr Piano
2 years ago

Hackett, Thorpe, PVDH, Popov sure we could name many more but swimmers way ahead of their time

Thorpedo
Reply to  Thorpedo
2 years ago

Oh and Crocker’s 2005 100m fly

Swimfan
2 years ago

This will be his PB in LCM next year. Either at Worlds or Europeans.

Chlorine daddy is in heavy training currently.