To see all of our 2022 Swammy Awards, click here.
2022 WORLD JUNIOR MALE SWIMMER OF THE YEAR – DAVID POPOVICI, ROMANIA
This award truly couldn’t have gone to anyone except Romanian superstar David Popovici, who in a lot of ways is something we’ve never seen before. He accomplished so much this year that honestly, it’s hard to know where to start. That being said, it’s definitely worth noting at the top of this award that Popovici is also a very strong contender for our Male Swimmer of the Year Swammy.
When we remember David Popovici in 2022, the first thing we’re all going to think of is his World Record in the LC men’s 100 free at the European Championships in August. At just 17 years of age, Popovici broke Cesar Cielo’s WR of 46.91, which had stood since the 2009 World Championships. It was truly a stunning performance, solidifying the youngster as one of the premier swimmers, male or female, in the world right now.
Though he was incredible at so many meets this summer, the LC European Championships was without a doubt his best meet. In addition to the WR in the 100 free, Popovici won gold in the men’s 200 free, swimming a 1:42.97. With that swim, Popo broke the World Junior Record in the event, becoming just the third swimmer in history to go under 1:43 in the LC 200 free. His performance was also the fourth-fastest of all-time in the event, behind only Paul Biedermann’s World Record of 1:42.00, a Biedermann 1:42.81, and Michael Phelps’ American Record of 1:42.96, all three of which were swum during the super suit era.
Though Popovici swam his fastest at the European Championships, he was great all summer. He accomplished something we’ve never seen before, winning gold in the men’s 100 free and 200 free at the LC World Championships, LC European Championships, World Junior Championships, and LC European Junior Championships.
We’ll quickly run through his swims in chronological order. He started at the World Champs in June, where he won the 100 free in 47.58 and the 200 free in what was then a World Junior Record of 1:43.21. He then went to the European Junior Championships, where he won the boys 50 free (22.16), 100 free (47.69), and 200 free (1:45.45). Then in August he had his showstopping European Championships with the 100 free WR and 200 free WJR. He finished up his gauntlet of LC racing at the World Junior Champs at the end of the summer, where he won the 100 free in 47.13 and the 200 free in a Championship Record of 1:46.18. Notably, he also helped Romania’s boys 4×100 free relay to a gold medal at World Juniors, marking a first in the nation’s history.
Popovici then went on to prove himself in SC racing this fall. Competing at the SC World Championships earlier this month, Popovici won silver in the men’s 200 free, establishing a new Romanian Record of 1:40.79. The now-18-year-old didn’t medal in the men’s 100 free, where he finished fourth, but he did break the World Junior Record in the event, swimming a 45.64, which makes him the first junior swimmer in history to go under 46 seconds in the event.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Ksawery Masiuk, Poland – Rising up as one of the best backstrokers in the world this year, Poland’s Ksawery Masiuk has an exceptional summer. He began by winning a bronze medal in the men’s 50 back at the LC World Championships in June. He was briefly moved up to silver in the event after a disqualification ahead of him, but the DQ was later reversed and Masiuk was moved back down to bronze. At the World Junior Championships at the end of the summer, Masiuk won gold in the boys 50 and 100 back. In the 50 back, Masiuk broke his own Polish Record and set a new Championship Record with a 24.44. Masiuk clocked a 52.91 to win the boys 100 break, breaking the Championship Record in that event as well.
- Diogo Ribeiro, Portugal – Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro exploded onto the scene this summer. His accomplishments this year were highlighted by a World Junior Record in the LCM 50 fly. He swam a 22.96 in the event, winning World Junior Champs gold in the process. Ribeiro also clocked a 52.03 in the LC 100 fly to win World Junior gold. Not just a great flyer, Ribeiro won gold at World Juniors in the 50 free as well, swimming a 21.92 to win the event by a stunning 0.59-second margin. Ribeiro also set the Portuguese Record in the LCM 100 free at the European Championships over the summer, swimming a 48.52.
PREVIOUS WINNERS
- 2021 Swammy – Hwang Sunwoo
- 2020 Swammy – Andrei Minakov
- 2019 Swammy – Andrei Minakov
- 2018 Swammy – Kliment Kolesnikov
- 2017 Swammy – Kliment Kolesnikov
- 2016 Swammy – Kyle Chalmers
- 2015 Swammy – Li Zhuhao
- 2014 Swammy – Mack Horton
Honestly for me when I think of his summer it was the 200 free. That event is so tried and true and he demolished everyone else on earth by a longshot. No one is close.
May I add that Phelps’ AR wasn’t really with a supersuit. I think a supersuit was one made solely of neoprene. The full body Lazer had some neoprene, but was mostly “paper suit” material that suits today are made of. Not saying Phelps was “above” wearing them, it’s just that he had a very lucrative deal with Speedo, and chose to stick with their Lazer. It was definitely inferior to other brands’ selections.
Would having worn a jammer in ’08 caused Phelps to go at… Read more »
Definition of super suits: all the suits from 2008-09 that caused a ban and huge change in rules. Speedo LZR was the first super suit (some people say it was Thorpe’s 2000 Sydney suit the first super suit), and then all the others that came after, mainly the jaked full body suit and the Arena X-glide. The speedo suit change the game, but the jaked and the arena x glide won the game…however everybody lost when 52 records fall at Rome09 and we have to go back to times previous 2000 specially for men. That’s why so many male records haven’t been broken yet
Obviously there was no other choice. I don’t really see how you could choose anyone else for swimmer of the year either. Broke an extremely strong SS WR in the blue ribbon Olympic event, multiple world champion, consistent throughout the year (although obviously less successful in SCM). But really no one else comes close.
Issac Cooper?
Yeah Cooper was objectively better than both the HMs. Very strange choice to omit him.
He was better than Diogo Ribeiro, Masiuk imo was better than Cooper, medalling at long course is simply a lot above SC accomplishments to me, anyway he deserved to be mentioned, Galossi too, Ribeiro would be at most my fourth or fifth pick
Ribeiro has the top junior time in the world in 3 different events. 50 Free (ahead of Popovic), 50 and 100 Fly. And he is number 5 in the 100 Free.
He was swimmer of the meet at junior worlds (ahead of Popovic) with 3 individual gold medals, and one WJR in the 50 Fly. First junior swimming under 23 long course. Do you remember the first guy swimming 22 long course? Roland Schoeman in Montreal! Not that far ago.
Ribeiro also won a medal at Europeans in Rome against the big guys.
With respect to the backstrokes we’ve seen (specially in long course) juniores like kolesnikov doing a lot better. Even in short course.
I just think… Read more »
Masiuk was the clear cut second best jr swimmer this season. Ribeiro wins at jr meets mean very little since the level can vary a lot between each race at that level. Out of his 4 races only the 50 fly would have gotten him a spot in the finals at worlds ( he would have been 6th). Masiuk literally got a bronze plus actually made the final in the 100, his 52.58 in the semis alone is more impressive than whatever Ribeiro did.
It can be argued whether he deserves to be 3rd, I wouldn’t say you’re definitely wrong in thinking that, it really depends on what you value, personally I take quality over quantity and I find Cooper… Read more »
LCM > SCM.
Masiuk was as fast as Cooper in 50 back and much faster than Cooper in 100 back in long course. And he did it at the senior World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the process.
Ok… and Cooper was much faster than Masiuk in the 50 and 100 SCM and won multiple individual medals and multiple relay golds and broke a WR. Nothing Masiuk did this year came even close. A single bronze at WCs and nothing else is not the amazing achievement you seem to think it is.
If you combine their times for 50/100 back in both SCM/LCM, Cooper was faster overall by over a second.
Come on…relay WRs are cool but they’re not something you can use as a measure to determine who’s been the better swimmer.
You can say that SC course achievements matter a lot to you, it’s not inherently wrong but you should be aware they do not to most people, so don’t be surprised if people see Masiuk 52.58 LCM 100bk as more impressive than Cooper superiority on the 50-100bk in sc. Not to mention Masiuk is going to be a threat on the 200 as well.
No mention for Galossi?
Or David Betlehem……anything over 200m and people turn off (maybe the hard work required to swim longer, is too much for some to deal with 🤷)
No disrespect for Popovici, the guy is killing it and rightly deserves this accolade.
Betlehem is too old since he turned 19 this year, as for Galossi a newly turned 16 year old who medals individually at a European championship in a really solid event for European swimming like the 800 free ( even with wellbrock being off, a field of Paltrinieri, Romanchuk and Martens looks pretty world class to me) should be mentioned, not even considering his 200-400 are extremely impressive as well
What a year it’s been for David! So exciting to witness the birth of one of the sport’s future GOATs.
Do you think Popovici can or will add the 400m LC event to his lineup for Fukuoka, or could training for this event adversely affect his 100m speed? From a physiological perspective, could he potentially dominate the 100-200-400 triple? Or is the 50-100-200 triple more likely once he adds some muscle mass and top end speed?
My guess is that he focuses on the 100 and 200 free for Paris, and evaluates after that.
I don’t see a reason for him to add the 50 or the 400. He’s tried the 400, and it hasn’t gone great so far. He’s got at least two more cycles to go after “other” races.
@Braden Keith, off topic but are we gonna have a SS Breakdown today ?
Youngster paris battle
Popovici zhang sunwoo caribe crooks
Chalmers and dressel would be the old guys at a 100final
Crooks doesn’t seem to have as much potential in long course.
He’s got plenty of potential in the 50lcm. A 20.3 Scm converts to 21.15 lcm.
Crooks went 22.20 in Budapest 6 months ago and didn’t make it out of prelims.
Crooks is getting a lot faster. 21.5- 21.8 is probably where he is at now in long course. He has some ways to go. If he drops a sub 18 in NCAA, then perhaps a greater drop is coming
Stop with conversions please
Pan Zhanle, do not forget Pan Zhanle
I don’t think he’s tried the 400 properly yet.
You’re right. He dropped the 400lcm final in Rome to rest for World Juniors, and coasted the 400scm final in Melbourne.
It was only the heats in Melbourne but yeah.
Heats*