Popovici Claims 100m Gold with Near-Record Swim

Romanian swimmer David Popovici won gold in the 100m freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Thursday, clocking 46.51 seconds — the second-fastest time in history, CE Report quotes AGERPRES

After the race, the 20-year-old said he mentally isolated himself during the swim by "building walls" between lanes to stay focused. “The one who wins is the one who can detach themselves from the others,” he noted.

Popovici also credited technical improvements, particularly longer strokes and stronger underwater work. His time set both a competition and European record, falling just 0.11 seconds short of the world record held by China's Pan Zhanle.

The Romanian star also secured gold in the 200m freestyle earlier in the championships. This marks his second world title in the 100m after winning in 2022.

Silver went to American Jack Alexy (46.92), and bronze to Australia's Kyle Chalmers (47.17).