“This is the attitude between us”

• Roxana Fleșeru, the reporter of the Sports Gazette, is in Singapore, from where the best information about the World Natation Championships.

David Popovici succeeded in the golden “double” in Singaporewinning 100 and 200 meters races, the free style. The Romanian is now unique in the history of birth, the only one that succeeds this “double” in two distinct editions of the World Championships, after doing it in 2022.

The award ceremony took place a few tens of minutes after the end of the race. Before climbing the podium, Australian Kyle Chalmers, bronze medal today, joked with David: “How good I hear another hymn!”

David Popovici revealed what Australian Kyle Chalmers said before climbing the podium: “That's the attitude between us.”

Even Popovici revealed what the Australian rival transmitted it:

Related to how I felt on the podium … We were getting ready to climb Kyle tells me [Chalmers]: «Well, you don't even know how happy to hear another hymn. The United States, UK, all the time. Now Romania. Look, this hymn I don't know how it sounds. I can't wait to go to the podium to hear it ». That's the attitude between us. Outside the basin we are friends.

Also at the mixed area, the World Champion was pleased with today's performance:

“I feel very good. I feel very good that I managed to mobilize, to self-deprive myself and to choose to compete and when the fear was at the highest level. I am glad that I have done it, I am very proud of myself and the whole extended team I have behind, from my parents to sponsors, club, not to me.

I do not know the few more, the third or fourth, but it was the fastest 50 of my Ever. There were very well spits, a calculated race, well thought out and executed correctly. I'm happy”.

David Popovici: “I have not been as stressed as other dates”

“Not that I had no emotions before, I had clearly, but I have never been as stressed as in other dates before racingespecially by the world's finals, Olympic games. Especially in the “peasant” there, in the call room, is usually a tension that can be cut with the knife. Being there, feeling as relaxed as a month ago, at European, helped me. He helped me to be more present, without thinking too much about the expectations of others.

I learned that I am much more capable than I have come to believe in a while, and that I can trust myself. I, if I try to look from the outside, I would say about someone who came out of the Olympic champion last year, is a double world champion, that “yes, this man is sure to be a master, he trusts him all the time. What a trick e ».

Not. I am man like everyone else, I pass through my states, I have thoughts and fear, and fear. So I am glad that I have passed over them now, ”added the Romanian swimmer.