“Do you retreat?” »Double World Champion David Popovici replied without hesitation, on return to Romania + why he refused the official salon

David Popovici landed at Otopeni airport around 9:00 pm. It was expected by about 50 people and had a very released attitude. In front of the journalists, he said that at this moment he is thinking only of vacation. Officials of MTS and CS Dinamo were waiting for it with flowers.

Next to him was Denis Popescu, the 18th place at 100 meters butterfly in Singapore.

The supercampion of Romania said he did not want to withdraw, as Camelia Potec had left.

Video+photo. David Popovici, upon arrival in Romania: “a boy from Pantelimon, the fact that I saw the flag of Romania above the United States or Australia makes me feel good”

“I managed to self -deny. (No are you withdraw?) No, I will not give you any bad news. I love swimming, I don't know where to understand this information. Even though it was hard, I managed to gather. If this is the case if something appears, you will find out from me. There will be a certain vacation where we will celebrate as much as we will go somewhere with the sun, clearly, somewhere with the beach.

We're there. On me, a boy from Pantelimon, the fact that I saw the flag of Romania above the United States or Australia makes me feel good.

We are young, we have time to progress, to drop from those seconds. For the pole we need two more, we have to find them. I saw that it catches that, traction, in Romania and I am glad that I am doing my part.

It's much better here. Precisely, I didn't want the official stadium. The official salon is a little too official, as the name suggests, and we organized an unofficial salon that we like more. I prefer an arrival to attend and the people who happen to wait at the airport than something ultrapompos. It's easier, as I am.

It does not seem to me that the Romanian state does everything it can do for sports, to turn sport into a national priority. It seems to me that sport is the best ambassador. Not swimming, sport. But swimming is a very healthy sport.

Yes, I wanted to give up just before the race. (No you will ever come back to this feeling?) Yes because in the end I am a man and I pass a lot of thoughts through my head.

“I try to push the renovation of the Lia Manoliu basin”

By having a known face, I try to push the renovation of the “Lia Manoliu” basin. I talked about it a year ago, in Paris, and you will continue to do it. It's one of my personal wishes.

Last year it was very difficult, but also successful, which came to the pack with a set of challenges, which no one seems to me. No one told me how hard it will be even when it will work well, which is odd. It was a very difficult year, in which it was difficult to find my motivation, after the greatest success of my career, from Paris, to become an Olympic champion.

I can say that a stone was taken from my heart: I am no longer interested in the titles, but simply swim as well and as fast as I can.

“I want to learn to cook and take my engine permit”

I like to focus more on small steps. The next step is to have a vacation, to drive my car, to do all the things for which I didn't have time. I want to learn to cook, to take my engine permit, to go out with my family at the restaurant.

For me, maybe they meant several medals, because I felt for the first time in my life that I was a little scared. I demonstrated that I can, even being an Olympic champion – I had that fear. I have shown that it can be from now on.

Coming to Singapore, I began to be afraid, to doubt my own capabilities. I want to show that I can ”, Popovici said at the airport.