2025 LEN U23 European Championships
- Thursday, June 26 – Saturday, June 28
- X-bionic® sphere Pool, Šamorín, Slovakia
- LCM (50m)
- Start Times – Local: Prelims – 9:30 am / Finals – 6:00 pm
- Start Times – EST: Prelims – 3:30 am / Finals – 12:00 pm
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Livestream (Pay-To-Watch)
- Recaps:
On the final night of the 2025 LEN U23 Championships, Romanian David Popovici unleashed a scorching 46.71 to win the men’s 100 freestyle. This swim not only set a new European record but also stands as the fastest time in the world this year and the second-fastest swim of all time.
Updated Top 5 Performers All-Time:
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.40 (2024)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.71 (2025)*
- Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 46.91 (2009)
- Alain Bernard (FRA) – 46.94 (2009)
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 46.96 (2019)
The 20-year-old Popovici, who previously held the world record with a best time of 46.86 from the 2022 World Championships, saw his record broken last summer at the Paris Olympics. There, he settled for bronze behind Pan Zhanle, who shattered the world record with a 46.40, and the ever-consistent Kyle Chalmers.
With tonight’s swim, Popovici has now broken the 47-second barrier on four separate occasions, the second-most in history, trailing only Pan, who has done so five times. A complete list of the 20 fastest performances in history appears below.
Updated Top 20 All-Time Performances:
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.40 (2024)
- David Popovici (ROU) — 46.71 (2025)*
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.80 (2024)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.86 (2022)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.88 (2024)
- Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 46.91 (2009)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.92 (2024)
- Alain Bernard (FRA) – 46.94 (2009)
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 46.96 (2019)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.97 (2023)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.97 (2024)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.98 (2022)
- Jack Alexy (USA) — 46.99 (2025)
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 47.02 (2021)
- Cameron McEvoy (AUS) – 47.04 (2016)
- Eamon Sullivan (AUS) – 47.05 (2008)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 47.06 (2023)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 47.07 (2022)
- Kyle Chalmers (AUS) – 47.08 (2019)
- Kyle Chalmers (AUS) – 47.08 (2021)
Another standout from tonight’s race was Popovici’s back-half speed of 23.98, which makes him the only man in history to close the final 50 meters in under 24 seconds. He previously held the two fastest back halves at 24.05 and 24.09 from the 2022 and 2024 European Championships, respectively. See the list of the fastest back-half splits below.
Fastest Flat-Start Back-Half Splits of All Time:
- David Popovici (ROU), 23.98 — 2025 LEN U23 Championships*
- David Popovici (ROU), 24.05 — 2022 European Championships
- David Popovici (ROU), 24.09 — 2024 European Championships
- Andrei Minakov (RUS) / Kyle Chalmers (AUS), 24.11 — 2021 Russian Nationals / 2023 World Championships
- David Popovici (ROU) / Pan Zhanle (CHN), 24.12 — 2022 European Championships / 2024 Olympic Games
Note: Popovici did clock a 23.94 closing split on a relay at the 2024 European Championships, but since he did not lead off, it is not counted in the above flat-start rankings.
Splits Comparison, Top Five Men’s 100 Freestyle Swims:
| Pan Zhanle – 2024 Olympic Games | Pan Zhanle – 2024 World Championships | David Popovici – 2022 European Championships | David Popovici — 2024 European Championships | David Popovici — 2025 European U23 Championships | |
| 50 | 22.28 | 22.26 | 22.74 | 22.79 | 22.73 |
| 100 | 46.40 (24.12) | 46.80 (24.54) | 46.86 (24.12) | 46.88 (24.09) | 46.71 (23.98) |
Race Video:
🚨DAVID POPVICI 46.71 100 Freestyle🚨
pic.twitter.com/EkZo9Pqq2V— SwimSwam (@swimswamnews) June 28, 2025
Popovici is coming off a resurgent 2024 that saw him nearly recreate the earth-shattering swims he produced at the 2022 European Championships and win the first two Olympic medals of his career. After breaking the world record in the 100 free (46.86) and becoming the third swimmer ever (first textile) sub-1:43 in the 200 free (1:42.97) in 2022, Popovici missed the podium at the 2023 World Championships, but he’s come back with a vengeance since then.
At the European Championships last June, Popovici won double gold with the aforementioned 46.88 in the 100 free and 1:43.13 in the 200 free, which ranked him #2 and #1 in the world last year, respectively. One month later at the Olympics, the Romanian won gold in the 200 free (1:44.72) and earned bronze in the 100 free (47.49), and while he wasn’t able to hit his times from earlier in the year, it was still a strong showing under pressure.
It still feels like Popovici is only scratching the surface of his potential. Heading into the World Championships next month, he has to be considered the World Championship favorite in the 200 free—and perhaps a co-favorite in the 100 as well, given Pan’s season-best sits over a second slower at 47.77. He currently leads the 200 free world rankings with his 1:43.64 gold medal performance from earlier this week.
How turbulent waves in lanes or pool might become doesn’t play a critical role in setting up your split to the turn, given that he’s transforming himself from a lanky build to a muscular one. What matters for top swimmers like him to swim a record time in 100 free goes to oxygen density in a venue. Subtle difference of oxygen level easily results in two digit centi-seconds time improvement.
He went 1:43.21 indoors in 2022
Can he show the same level of performance in the indoor pool? I think he must be working so hard after Olympics. I am looking forward to the WC now.
Don’t let Awsi Dooger know about Popovici’s backhalf
It’s funny that most of the comments are that he will be behind at the 50 and the wash/waves will make it really tough for him to use his great back half.
In 2008, Lezak was behind Bernard and most say he rode Bernard’s wave and drafted off him.
1. Lane lines are decent at stopping waves.
2. The lanes are pretty wide at the big meets causing the waves to dissipate before they move to the middle of another lane.
3. He was out in 22.7, that’s not 23.7, he’ll be pretty close to the fastest swimmers at the 50.
4. On the last 50 when everyone else is hurting and slowing down, he’ll be… Read more »
I gotta disagree on points 1, 2 and 4.
1-watch the lane lines behind those dudes when 8 of them hit the wall at the turn, tons of movement in every direction.
2-see point 1
4-he beat Pan home by 0.14, not much.
But point 3 you are correct. He will be right with the leaders except Pan. But the wash hits everyone the whole way home.
If Pan is on he will be out front by a chunk.
The bigger problem is his and Alex ability to go fast in the finals with all the chips on the line.
Pan knocked that most important skill out of the park.
Go your… Read more »
And the comments implying that he won’t perform under pressure. Don’t people remember the 200 free in Paris?
daddy’s home
Love waking up to this kind of news. Thanks Skinny Legend.
The cheeky smile at the end of the race 😀
I called a 46 mid yesterday. Not surprised at all! Congrats David!!
Is Kyle Chalmers swimming at Singapore?
Can he even podium with a 46.40, 46.71, and 46.99 in the field??
yes, when alexy and popivici never swim as fast in the finals at big meets
He always manages to podium somehow. He’s unbelievable. Chalmers can fight through the wash. It’ll be tough for sure though. Popovici will find it hard with the wash.
Chalmers will go 46 in the final to get on the podium while Alexy will break the NR in the semi and then miss the podium with a 47 low to mid. That’s what a see in my crystal ball.
I’m not sure if Popovici can do an insane back half like this in a Worlds final field that will get out ahead of him by the turn and leave him a big wave to swim in, but we’ll see