David Popovici (21 years old), the four-time world champion in swimming, participated on Thursday, May 7, in the launch of this year's edition of the BeActive Caravan, a project of the National Sports Agency that aims to promote movement and a healthy lifestyle.
David Popovici was present at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection in Sector 2 of the Capital, where he was awaited by 400 children. He gave a speech and played sports with them and Bogdan Matei, the president of ANS.
“It's important (not this project) because I've always tried to convey the message that movement and sports can take you very far. I wrote my story through sport, I owe a lot to sport and I am grateful to it. So through these actions I try to give something backPopovici declared.
“The kids are very nice, they remind me of myself when I was their age. And if I can have even a small impact on them then I will be very happy,” he added.
David Popovici, sports ambassador: “I owe a lot to sport”
Arrived in front of the journalists, Popovici explained that when he was little he wanted autographs from Michael Phelps and Robert Glința. “I always wanted to compete shoulder to shoulder with them and even surpass them. Over time, I ended up being a colleague of the man we idolized, Robert,” said the Romanian swimmer.
A few years later, Popovici ended up being asked for autographs and assuming the role of sports ambassador.
“I feel very honored and I consider myself privileged to be able to talk about it. I am honored that every time I walk down the street or I am behind the wheel and someone recognizes me, they recognize me through the prism of sport and through the messages I send. I am glad that I can do it and I will do it for the rest of my life. As I said, I owe a lot to sport”, specified the Olympic champion from Paris.
When asked how parents can help their children spend less time in front of screens, Popovici answered, modestly, that being only 22 years old, he could not afford to give advice to his parents.
However, he believes in the power of sport and movement and claims that this can provide a healthy alternative for children.
“So direct them to sports. Mine were always there to be like a pillar of support, to make sure that I would never fall on my back, on my face. They were always there and they never pushed me into the water, neither literally nor figuratively. I always did what I liked, and it's important that, in general, children find this calling. Each of us, I think, has that something,” said Popovici.
David Popovici and the regret he has: “It's also important when we lose to lose together”
He also spoke about the importance of recovery and rest in an athlete's life, about spending time with family and friends, and conveyed the idea that athletes are not robots, but people. At the same time, David is aware of the importance of work, but he also believes that he was lucky.
“I think I would consider it lucky that I was born into a family with two parents who would take me to sports, never force me to do anything I didn't want to do. It was lucky that I met the coach I still have, lucky that I found some teachers from whom I had something to learn from, lucky that my paths crossed with friends that I love so much“, explained the multiple European champion.
“When it comes to something as precise as swimming, we take luck out of the situation. Instead, I feel lucky from this point of view, the people I've met, who have shaped me, and the fact that I'm here, I'm healthy, I have two hands, two legs and I can talk to you,” Popovici added.
This year, the 21-year-old athlete will compete at the European Championships in Paris and he can't wait.
“I know that the stand will be full, I understand that it is already difficult, if not impossible, to find tickets. I am always happy when I can compete in front of a large audience, even more so in Paris, where I won the Olympic gold“, revealed Popovici.
Asked what it means for him to represent Romania, Popovici concluded as follows:
“Every time I go to another country and maybe someone asks me 'where are you from' and I say Romania maybe there is a little sigh there, but something invisible. I am happy every time I get on the podium and the flag goes up with me, and implicitly all the people who identify with this sport, who identify with our country. I do it for me, but at the same time when we win, we win together. But it's also important when we lose to lose together. There the connection is lost a bit.”
