2026 ROMANIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, April 22nd – Sunday, April 26th
- Otopeni, Romania
- LCM (50m)
- Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/ Day 3 Recap/Day 4 Recap/Day 5 Recap
- Live Results
The 2026 Romanian National Championships wrapped up over the weekend, but not before 21-year-old Olympic champion David Popovici made his mark across multiple events.
The freestyle ace raced on all of the five days, with each result stirring up glimpses into the form the Romanian is in with this year’s European Championships on the horizon.
Before we outline Popovici’s results from this competition, take a look at his enthusiastic post on Instagram, where he said, “Haven’t said or felt this in a long time but…big things are coming. I’m back, baby.”
Multiple fellow Olympic speedsters responded with their reactions, including newly minted 50m freestyle world record holder Cameron McEvoy who replied with a fun graphic.
His Aussie Olympic teammate Kyle Chalmers commented, “When did you leave??” to which Popovici replied, “Never left, but inertia was leading the way. Not anymore.”
British Olympic multi-medalist James Guy was another respondent, as you can see in the comments below.
Recap of Popovici’s 2026 Romanian National Championship Performances
Day One – 50m Freestyle
Popovici posted a solid morning 50m freestyle outing of 22.11 to capture the top seed out of the heats before slicing off another .09 to check in with a gold medal-worthy effort of 22.02 in the main event.
His time tied his 3rd-best ever performance, with his resume boasting a lifetime best of 21.83 from taking the title at last year’s edition of these championships. He now ranks just outside the list of top 25 performers worldwide on the season.
David Popovici‘s Top 5 LCM 50 Freestyle Performances
- 21.83 – April 2025
- 21.86 – June 2025
- 22.02 – June 2025 & April 2026
- –
- 22.14 April 2025
Day Two – 200m Freestyle
The reigning Olympic champion tried his signature 200m freestyle on for size, reaping gold successfully in a swift time of 1:45.89.
The speedster split 24.19/26.64 (50.83)/27.68/27.38 to get the job done, ranking him just outside the list of top ten performers worldwide on the season.
Popovici’s lifetime best in this 2free event remains at the otherworldly 1:42.97 he put on the books en route to gold at the 2022 European Championships to become the 3rd-fastest performer of all time. He earned gold at the 2024 Olympic Games in a mark of 1:44.72.
Day Three – 4x100m Freestyle Relay
Popovici anchored his Clubul Sportiv Dinamo Bucuresti’s men’s 4x100m free relay in a monster 46.97, by far the fastest of any leg on any squad.
According to the results, Popovici opened in 22.46 and closed in 24.51 to help his squad grab the gold decisively, establishing a new Romanian national record of 3:18.19 in the process.
Day Four – 100m Freestyle
He picked up his 3rd individual event win of the meet in the 100 freestyle, the final event of day four’s session. Popovici stopped the clock in 47.52, coming in half a second ahead of silver medalist Patrick Dinu‘s 48.01.
This swim was about a second off his lifetime best in the event of 46.51, which he swam at the World Championships in Singapore. He was also about two tenths off the 47.30 he swam at last year’s meet.
Popovici’s swim is tied for the 4th fastest time in the world this season with Brooks Curry‘s swim at the Malmsten Swim Open in Stockholm. American Chris Guiliano currently holds the top time at 47.38, a little more than a tenth ahead.
Day Five – Mixed Medley Relay
On the final day, Popovici took on the fly leg of his squad’s mixed medley relay, where he delivered a spicy split of 51.36.
That included a 23.57 opener and a 27.79 on the back half.
Popovici is reportedly set to compete at June’s Sette Colli Trophy.
It is rare for precocious talents to reach their full potential, I hope David a healthy road towards his ambitions
I am not surprised he is talking about “being back” at 21. He was always a precocious guy. I remember when he was 16 he was giving interviews (in English!) which made him sound like a very wise and complex grown man. I don’t see him swimming into his thirties.
This is exciting to hear that he seems to believe that he’s breaking out of a rut he was in. Looking forward to seeing him at Euros, and I’m still hoping we might see him at Sette Colli this year.
He already confirmed he’ll be at Sette Colli
Great, thanks for that confirmation!
He will be there. The Italian Swimming Federation posted it on IG.
Thanks!
Yaaasss Chlorine Daddy!
I actually thought his 100free prelim swim was really impressive too. He split 24:18 /24:26 for 48:44.
I reckon he was almost zero rested in this meet, and still swims 1:45.8 and 47.5
And regarding the message, maybe he wasn’t feeling the love he had for swimming before exploding in 2022. Maybe the pressure got to him and it took some (not all) of his love for the sport after 2022. And somehow he absolutely loves it again
Agreed. Nothing to indicate he was rested. Probably unsuited and unshaven too.
He started uni after 2022 so maybe he was struggling to balance training, competing and study.
He could/should be the first swimmer under 1’42” with splits like 49.7 and 51.8.
It’s been almost 4 years since he went his 1:42.97 PB…
Dude throws down 1:43.5/46.5, and is like “I don’t know that guy, but now I am back.”
Love it.