2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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The men’s 100m freestyle final took place on day five of the 2025 World Championships and Romania’s David Popovici stole the spotlight with a monster performance.
The 20-year-old swimmer doubled up on his 200m freestyle gold already in Singapore by ripping a big-time personal best of 46.51 to top the podium once again.
Popovici was able to hold off American Jack Alexy, who scored silver in 46.92, followed by Australian Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers, who clocked 47.17 for bronze.
Alexy actually held the top time entering this final, having taken down Caeleb Dressel‘s American Record by hitting 46.81 in the semis.
As for Popovici, the Olympic gold medalist opened in a feisty 22.49 and closed in 24.02 to overtake his previous Romanian record and European record of 46.71 notched at this year’s U23 Championships.
That previous outing represented the 2nd-best performance in history, sitting only behind Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle‘s World Record of 46.40 put up for gold at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Out of the semis, Pan found himself relegated to the 10th seed in 47.81.
Popovici’s performance erases the former World Championships record of 46.80 Pan registered last year in Doha.
| Popovici’s New 46.51 European Record | Popovici’s Old 46.71 European Record | Pan’s 46.40 World Record |
| 22.49 | 22.73 | 22.28 |
| 24.02 | 23.98 | 24.12 |
Popovici’s previous 46.71 European Record carried the fastest back half in history. Tonight’s effort was just slightly off that.
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
With tonight’s swim, Popovici has now broken the 47-second barrier on six separate occasions.
Top 20 Men’s LCM 100 Freestyle Performances All-Time
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.40 (2024)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.51, (2025)
- David Popovici (ROU) — 46.71 (2025)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.80 (2024)
- Jack Alexy (USA) – 46.81, (2025)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.84 (2025)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.86 (2022)
- David Popovici (ROU) – 46.88 (2024)
- Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 46.91 (2009)
- Pan Zhanle (CHN) – 46.92 (2024) & Jack Alexy – 46.92 (2025)
- _
- Alain Bernard (FRA) – 46.94 (2009)
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 46.96 (2019)
- 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)
When interviewed on-deck by Aussie Olympian Cate Campbell, Popovici said, “I don’t care if I win or lose anymore. I’m just swimming for the heck of it, for the fun of it, for the art of it.”
Additionally, the Romanian rocket told Italian media that he was about to give up the day before the race and go home…why? – “Because I was scared of what might happen…might not.”
This is geting insane, second fastest time in history=Gold (understandeble), 10th fastest time in history=Silver (it is tied to same time, but still), 29th fastest time in history=Bronze, am I missing somehing here?
he stated that he swam under 46. 4 in training.
Hopefully we have a Worlds/Olympics where Popovici and Pan are both at the top of their game. Would be cool to see something crazy like 46.3 only winning silver.
Popovici just might go 45+ if he moves to Austin and trains with Coach Bowman.
lol no
He could go. David has one of the best coaches right now so why should he move to Austin/Bowman?
Huge Popovici fan here, and this is an insane time. The only question I have is why did Pan receive so much skepticism immediately after his 46.40 performance last year but Popovici isn’t at all? If we are being honest, 46.40 and 46.51 isn’t exactly light years apart.
To be fair, I don’t think either should receive any skepticism, both are amazing performances pushing the limit of human ability.
Gap between Pan’s best and 2nd best time is large.
u mean 46.4 and 46.8? or 45.92 in the relay?
Time for another dumb swim question… why are relay splits faster than individual swims? I keep seeing comments about Kyle chasing a sub-47 but given that he went 46.53 on the 400 relay he’s gotta be more than capable, right?
I googled this and they say it’s 1) reaction time on a flat start 2) motivation that your team is depending on you, but that half second difference still sounds like a lot. What do y’all think?
On a relay, if you’re not the first swimmer, you’re getting a flying start instead of a flat start, so that gives you momentum. It typically cuts about half a second off your time. That’s why relay splits after the lead-off don’t count for records.
I believe women’s lead-off in mixed relays also don’t count, due to possible extra draft.
Oh, I assumed it was kind of the same because you’re diving off the blocks anyway. I can never quite tell from the camera angles, do they leap in from a different position?
Some leap with a small step before diving. But that is not the main advantage. The main advantage is that you have a pretty good idea of when to leap, as opposed to having to wait for a whistle before leaping.
Thanks!!!
You can anticipate the start so you dont have to worry about reaction time when you wait for a buzzer
Totally random thing to say but i think alexy might have the gighest ceiling of them all, compared to pan and popovici’s technique his is good but lacking 46.81 with technical deficiencies is fast i think if he perfected everything he could go a 45.9 crazy as that sounds, get back to me in 2-3 years and we shall see
If you really think you anyone can swim 46’81 with big technical deficiencies you know nothing about swimming man..
Where’s the “that’s humanly impossible” guy at?
Somewhere in a basement speeding up clips of himself swimming while getting an HGH drip.
Seriously, though, keep the same energy for 46.5 as you had for 46.4.