He can strike the water with his angry fist, sitting on a float like the sovereign that he is. The new emperor of the 100 meters freestyle is aptly named David Popovici. The Romanian is a pool magician and above all, now the new world record holder in the 100m freestyle (46″86), decked out with a new title, that of European championSaturday August 13 in Rome.
David Popovici struck a huge blow, two months after triumphing in Budapest with two world titles in the queen distance as well as in the 200 meter freestyle. Without Maxime Grousset to disturb him in his wake, despite a stratospheric first 50 meters from the Frenchman at line 2 (in the lead at halfway), the Romanian crushed the race. White cap pressed on the skull, he relegated his closest competitor, Kristof Milak, to more than six tenths.
He could do it again in a few days on the 200 meters. One year after realizing the triple, here in Rome, at the European Junior Championships (50 meters, 100 meters, 200 meters freestyle), the 17-year-old swimmer is the scarecrow of the world sprint two years from the Paris Olympics.
Far from the current standards of sprinting, as muscular as he is tall in the 100-meter freestyle, David Popovici is an atypical. Cut out for the long sprint (200m, 400m), the lanky young man is a metronome, in control from one end of the pool to the other. He proved it again on Saturday. A style that fits well with his philosophy of life. An assiduous reader of Stoic authors like Seneca, the Romanian dreams of becoming a psychologist to follow in his mother’s footsteps, and wants to follow his own path at all costs.
Foreign swimming mermaids? Very little for him. While many swimmers go to the United States to follow the teachings of American coaches, the Frenchman Léon Marchand in the lead, David Popovici prefers to stay training in Romania. “This is where my team is, without them I couldn’t do anything. My first priority is to swim well.” he explained, shortly before the competition, in the Roman capital, where he can stay close to his family.
Swimming for pleasure or to reign, you have to choose. The Romanian understood it. “Medals and records first, good times are a bonus. But if it’s fun, that’s fine with me too“says, with a smile on his face, the native of Bucharest.
Asked about the secrets of his success, the Romanian forsakes Seneca and prefers to cite another great stoic, the nugget of Norwegian football, now Manchester City player, Erling Haaland. “He was asked the same question. Since he didn’t speak English well enough, he answered the same as what I’m going to say: hard work is key.” A Stakhanovist, the Romanian has offered himself a little indulgence in these championships. No 50m freestyle but a first in the 400m on Wednesday. When we reign, we don’t count.