David Popovici, the 21-year-old Romanian swimmer, has made headlines again by clocking an impressive 46.72 seconds in the semifinals of the 100m freestyle at the European Championships in Paris. This achievement marks his seventh swim under 47 seconds, the highest number recorded by any swimmer.
Popovici, a dual European and World Champion in the 100m freestyle, first set the all-time record for swims under 47 seconds in this event last year with a time of 46.51 seconds during the finals in Singapore. His latest performance at the European Championships further solidifies this exceptional record.
His semifinal time of 46.72 seconds stands as the third-best of his career, following closely behind his remarkable 46.51 seconds. This achievement underscores his dominance in the sport, as no other swimmer has managed to dip below 47 seconds as frequently.
During the World Championships last year, Popovici also excelled in the semifinals with a time of 46.84 seconds, leading to his victory in the final with a time of 46.51 seconds, which remains the second-fastest in history, just behind the world record of 46.40 seconds held by China’s Pan Zhanle.
Earlier in 2025, Popovici had also registered a time of 46.71 seconds at the U23 European Championships in Samorim, which was at the time the second fastest ever recorded.
In the rankings of swimmers with multiple swims under 47 seconds, Popovici leads with seven, followed by Pan Zhanle with five. Other active swimmers include Jack Alexy with four, who achieved two of those times in Singapore, and Egor Kornev, who recently joined this elite club with a time of 46.96 seconds.
David Popovici’s Best Times
46.51 » World Championships Singapore July 31, 2025
46.71 » U23 European Championships Samorim June 28, 2025
46.72 » European Championships Paris August 11, 2026
46.84 » World Championships Singapore July 30, 2025
46.86 » World Championships Rome 2022
46.88 » European Championships Belgrade June 19, 2024
46.98 » World Championships Rome August 12, 2022
Pan Zhanle’s Best Times
46.40 » Olympic Games Paris July 31, 2024
46.80 » World Championships Doha February 11, 2024
46.92 » Olympic Games Paris July 27, 2024
46.97 » Asian Games Hangzhou September 24, 2023
46.97 » Chinese National Championships Shenzhen April 23, 2024
