2023 ROMANIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, April 5th – Sunday, April 9th
- Otopeni, Romania
- Long Course Meters (50m)
- Meet Site
- Start List
- Day 1 Results (PDF)
David Popovici, 18, opened the 2023 Romanian National Championships on Wednesday with a win in the 50 free. The meet is his first domestic long course national championship since breaking the World Record in the 100 freestyle at last summer’s European Championships.
He posted a 22.62 in the 50 free, which was about half-a-second shy of his best of 22.16 from last summer’s European Junior Championships, held in the same pool in Otopeni. His best time in a Romanian domestic meet was a 22.60 done at the June 2021 Romanian Championships.
In a post-race interview, Popovici said he was trying a new technique in the race, and that while he’s happy with the result, he didn’t really like the technique.
“I tried something new, to swim with outstretched arms. I do not really like it,” Popovici said. “I’m pleased. I take advantage of the fact that it is not a very high-stakes contest. Yes, I’m really happy.”
He also won the 100 back on Wednesday, a stroke that he doesn’t swim that often, touching in 54.74. That’s his best time by almost two seconds, with his previous best coming in 2019 (when he was only 14). Denis Laurean was 2nd in that race in 55.05. The national record holder in the 100 back, Robert Glinta, retired earlier this year.
Popovici is entered in the 50 fly, 100 fly, 100 free, and 400 free for the remainder of the meet, with no entry in the 200 free: an event in which he’s the defending World Champion.
George-Alexandru Stoica-Constantin, one of the best active Romanian swimmers not named ‘Popovici,’ was 2nd in the 50 free 22.96. If Romania were to qualify a 400 free relay for the Olympic Games, he would be a key leg to that effort.
530 athletes (234 women, 296 men) are registered for the event.
Other Day 1 Highlights
- 14-year old Daria Mariuca Sillisteanu won the women’s 100 back in 1:01.43, which sets the new Romanian National Record for both 14-and-unders and 15-and-unders. The rest of the age records (from under-16 to the open record) are a 1:00.21 from Diana Mocanu, who swam that time at the 2000 Olympics when she was only 16, and never managed to improve it.
All Day 1 Top 3s:
Women
200 m IM
1. Ana Maria Sibişeanu (CSA Steaua Bucharest) 2:18.39
2. Brigitta Vass (CSM Constanța) 2:19.07
3. Maria Claudia Gâdea (CSA Steaua) 2:21.69
50 m freestyle
1. Rebecca Aimee Diaconescu (CSM Constanța) 25.96
2. Daria Măriuca Silișteanu (CS Dinamo Bucharest) 26.03
3. (TIE) Anastasia Maria Bako (CSA Steaua) 26.39/Maysa Raţiu (CSA Steaua) 26.39
100 m backstroke
1. Daria Măriuca Silișteanu (CS Dinamo) 1:01.43
2. Aissia Claudia Prisecariu (CS Dinamo) 1:01.95
3. Sara Flavia Strîmb (CSU Pitesti) 1:04.47
800 m freestyle
1. Diana Gabriela Stiger (CSA Steaua) 8:57.75
2. Briana Păun (CSM Ploiesti) 8:59.79
3. Anastasia Maria Bako (CSA Steaua) 9:01.34
Men
200 m IM
1. Mihai Gergely (CSM Constanţa) 2:02.51
2. Cristian Lăpădat (CS Dinamo) 2:05.81
3. Daniel Alexandru Nicuşan (CSM Târgu Mureș) 2:06.46
50 m freestyle
1. David Popovici (CS Dinamo) 22.62
2. Constantin George Alexandru Stoica (CSM Constanţa) 22.96
3. Patrick Sebastian Dinu (CSM Constanța) 23.31
100 m backstroke
1. David Popovici (CS Dinamo) 54.74
2. Denis Laurean Popescu (CS Olimpia Bucharest) 55.05
3. Robert Andrei Badea (CSA Steaua) 56.89
800 m freestyle
1. Vlad Ştefan Stancu (CSA Steaua) 7:58.38
2. Nandor Nagy (CSŞ Hunedoara) 8:20.32
3. Andrei Theodor Proca (CSM Pitesti) 8:21.70
Mixed 400 Free Relay
1. CSM Constanta (Constantin George Alexandru Stoica, Patrick Sebastian Dinu, Eva Maria Paraschiv, Rebecca Aimee Diaconescu) 3:34.69
2. CS Olimpia Bucharest (Alexandru Constantinescu, Rareş Mihai Oanţă, Alexandra Rădulescu, Irina Ana Preda) 3:44.28
3. CS Dinamo (David Ionuţ Zarojanu, Francesco Raduna, Anna Lisa Zaharia, Simona Maria Predescu) 3:47.94
Citește mai mult la: https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/sport/david-popovici-campion-national-la-50-m-liber-si-100-m-spate-2306675
Informaţiile publicate pe site-ul Digi24.ro pot fi preluate, în conformitate cu legislația aplicabilă, doar în limita a 120 de caractere.
This site is so slow to write the news… :Popovici went 23.74 in the 50 fly final more than an hour ago.
Jeez be patient. Swimswam have got to cover British trials, Japanese trials and Irish trials just concluded. It’s been full on for them since the Women’s NCAA’s 3 weeks ago. A 23.74 in a 50 Fly does not require an Immediate article.
23.74 in a new event swum by the 2022 male swimmer of the year, like his 54.74 in the 100 back, is an interesting news imo. I wrote on an Italian swimming site about many international events often before Swimswam articles (but I’m impatient..).
Day 2 updates:
Popovici just swam 23.96 in the 50 fly prelims. (New PB)
Chlorine Daddy!
Obviously his coaches in Romania have massive success with him but I can’t help wondering if he would improve in an environment with more competition. He’s the fastest by FAR in his entire country, and probably is racing against himself and the clock most practices. Would be interesting to see him in a successful pro group in the US (I’m not as knowledgeable about good pro groups in Europe though he would probably want to stay over there) and see how the competition in practice would influence him.
I do not agree: Look at Milak’s progress. He is far better than the rest of the Hungarian swimmers – but he keeps progressing. And Hungary is half of the size of Romania
Sure, because going from Europe to US has always ensured success. People are not stones that you can move anywhere. The guy became the best male freestyler at 17 in his current country and with his current coach. I don’t see the need for changes. As a matter of fact I say don’t mess what appears to be an ideal setting for him.
“Outstretched arms” is what I assume to be straight arm technique getting lost in translation?
I find it funny that a guy who’s swims a 46 in the 100 has a 50 pb north of 22. I’m sure that’ll change relatively soon but on the meantime it’s a nice little oddity
Chalmers goes 47.0 with a PB north of 22.
Yes, straight arm
I’m not sute straight arm sprinting will be his thing. He’s probably not strong enough (yet?) for that to be advantageous.
22.62 for the first meet of the season and trying a new technique is pretty nuts really. Especially for someone who is not a 50 freestyler.
I mean people built like him can have a deceptive appearance. Long tendons and muscles is a recipe for power even though he doesn’t have a menacing bulging appearance like a gym rat.
Source? Somewhat anecdotal, somewhat based on my limited knowledge of physiology and sports performance, and I was also a skinny lengthy ass teenager which brings me to my other point. My growth spurts came way more with height first and then in my later teens / early 20s my frame filled out to the point where my awkward lengthy propotions have “normalized” (I don’t really know how to express this lol) a bit. That is to say: he’s still young and growing, and there’s a good… Read more »
Big swim for DP wasn’t sure if he’d break 55 here but big think he’ll go 52.0 or 51 high in the 100 fly now.
i want to see daddy Popovici swim a 200m breast
I doubt we will! Even Peary rarely swims it.
*Peaty
I’d give him a 2:18
his breaststroke looks funny。
I do not think he is breststroker..