Article by Roxana Fleşeru – published on Sunday, July 27, 2025, 08:42 / Updated Sunday, July 27, 2025 08:47
The Romanian Constantin Popovici (36 years old) won the bronze medal in the high -height jumping competition in the Singapore World Natation Championships, with a total score of 408.70. Cătălin Preda (34 years old) ranked 5th.
The last two stages of the water jumping competition from Sensosa Island has set the final hierarchy at the end of a passionate contest. Two Romanian jumps, the medals with gold and silver two years ago, in Fukuoka, were among the best.
Prior to the first developments in the fifth round, Constantin Popovici was in front, but the regulation stipulates that the final scores in the mandatory jumps in the preliminary. (jump 1 and 3), to which are added the notes obtained in the last two developments, with unlimited degree of difficulty.
The jump with number 5, with a degree of difficulty 5.8, was not a successful one for Popovici. It was appreciated by referees with notes of 6.0 and 6.5, gathering 107.3 points and a total of 267.70.
He placed it in the fourth place before the last evolution. Cătălin Preda was on 6, after a jump with a degree of difficulty 5.1, weighed with qualifications of 6.0 and 6.5 and a total score of 91.8.
In front of the Spanish Carlos Gimeno, 310.5 points, followed by James Lichtenstein (USA), 285.8, and Jonathan Paredes (Mexico), 267.70.
Constantin Popovici, last successful jump
Constantin Popovici evolving at CM 2025 Photo: GSP
Everything was going to decide after the last series of jumps. Preda succeeded in the most correct and spectacular execution of this decisive stage in the competition. One with a difficulty of 6.1, noted high by arbitrators, with qualifications between 8.0 and 9.0! A total of a jump of 149.45, which remained the best of the sixth stage of the competition.
A few minutes later, Popovici had a much better evolution than the previous one, with a difficulty of 6.0 and a safe entry into the water. The Romanian came out of the pool, realizing the success, one qualified between 7.5 and 8.0 officials. The total, 141.0, placed it temporarily at the forehead, the tender being in the second place.
Then, however, Mexican Jonathan Paredes, with a stable execution, 126.9 points, pushed Cătălin on 3, but Constantin was sure of the medal, with only two other competitors left to execute their jumps.
The American James Lichtenstein (30 years old) had a very good execution, with difficulty 5.3, noted between 8.5 and 9.5, with which he passed. The Spanish Carlos Gimeno (35 years old) could overcome him, but he hesitated with hesitation on the 5.6 difficulty jump, being rated with notes between 6.5 and 7.5. However, enough to take the silver medal.
Constantin Popovici conquered the bronze one, its second world distinction, after the gold two years ago, from Japan.
Constantin Popovici: “An atypical contest, I am happy for the bronze medal”
Constantin Popovici with the bronze medal from Singapore Photo: GSP
“It was a little atypical contest compared to what we are used to. It was a new format in which we had to make more jumps, which means more contact with water, more physical training, but I prepared as such and it was physically ok.“, Popovici said.
“But the contest was the same for everyone. And today I managed to take only the bronze, which makes me very happy. I certainly wanted a brighter medal, but I am grateful for this because there is a lot of work in the back, not only with me, everyone, and I could very well be four or even back. I am very pleased with the third place. We work further for the following contests and hope that in the future comes better results than today“, Added the Romanian.
“I could very well win, I was very good in the standings, but I was wrong the fifth round. I did very well, but the competition is a competition for everyone, I could jump even better, but even worse,” he concluded.
