Article by Roxana Fleşeru – Published on Thursday, 13 November 2025 23:00 / Updated on Thursday, 13 November 2025 23:13
Denis Popescu (22 years old) won the 100 m butterfly at the National Short Course Championships with a new senior national record. Danis Volontir (18 years old), Daria Asaftei (16 years old) and Darius Coman (18 years old) also achieved notable performances.
The National Short Course Championships, the 2025 edition, started on Thursday in Otopeni. The afternoon session was full of national successes.
The first test was the 200 meters free, where Eric Andries (CSM Constanța) defended his title won last year, the young swimmer stopping the timer at 1:44.73. He surpassed Robert Badea (1:46.40) and Mihai Gergely (1:47.77).
“This title means a lot, especially since it also comes after a difficult season, with illnesses, with some mental problems, but I'm glad that I managed to overcome them. These came after a very busy schedule – school, swimming pool, it's like you don't have time for anything – until it accumulates. I worked a lot with the psychologist and through meditation I managed to overcome them”. Eric revealed.
Because he is swimming in the same event as David Popovici, absent from this competition, he says that the four-time world champion serves as his motivation. “He advised me to have fun, regardless of the situation, good periods, bad periods, training camps, and to work hard”, emphasized Andries.
The swimmer from CSM Constanța was extremely satisfied with the way he performed: “I qualified for the European Championships in the short course and I have to prepare for it. I like the 25-meter course more because that's how I train. I had a barrier before participating this year in the European Championships and the Junior World Championships, I thought that the 50-meter course was not for me, but this year's evolution proved the opposite and gave me more confidence”.
Eric Andries at the end of the 200 m freestyle PHOTO Roxana Fleșeru
National record for Denis Popescu in 100 m butterfly
Denis Popescu, European U23 champion in the 100 m freestyle, also swam on the first day of the race in Otopeni. He prevailed in the final A at 100 m butterfly with a time of 50.97 s, this representing a new national record, the old one was held by Daniel Martin (51.06) and the date of 2019.
Denis was followed by Vlad Mihalache (51.09) and Mihnea Pop (52.86 s). “The 25 is a completely different game to the 50 and you need moisture to swim underwater. It's a good time, but in the short stroke I like to focus on the backstroke and in the long stroke the butterfly. I do well in both, I want to do as many events as possible for the European competition and I will be competing in four events.” said the swimmer.
He added: “The holiday was necessary, but now I'm back at work, a lot has changed in the training, both in the water and in the physical training – changes for the better, I feel much more agile in the water.”
Danis Volontir, the first senior national title
Danis Volontir also set a record in the 50m breaststroke event. The 18-year-old athlete swam the two pool lengths in 27.11s. The previous mark was 27.39s and belonged to Dragoș Agache from 2009.
Born in the Republic of Moldova, but with Romanian citizenship since the age of four, the swimmer made a major change two months ago: he moved from Câmpina to Bucharest and is training with Mircea Purcaru. “It's a new beginning, it's my first senior national title, I'm glad I'm starting a new path. From the age of 14 I switched to the breaststroke, until then I was doing the butterfly. My dream is to become the first Olympic champion in the 50m breaststroke and, why not, to be the first swimmer to do the double 50-100 breaststroke”, he said, referring to the fact that, from 2028, the 50m events are also in the Olympic program m.
In the women's event, Daria Asaftei also set a new national record, with a time of 30.93 s. In the mixed 400 m, Darius Coman had a time of 4:05.03, a national record, the previous mark belonging to Robert Badea (4:06.42), who did not start in this event.
Surprise test for Aissia Prisecariu
Aissia Prisecariu, who now represents CSM Constanța after being at Dinamo and who is a specialist in the back stroke, won the final A of the 100 m butterfly event with a time of 1:00.25.
Aissia Prisecariu ready for the start PHOTO Roxana Fleșeru
“It was a challenge for me, it's the first time I swim butterfly at the National Championships. I wanted it to be a challenge, to see what time I get, how far I go. It was a very nice experience and I didn't expect this result. It's a very good time and a very good race. I don't know if I'll do butterfly in the future, but after this result, maybe I'll re-profile myself. I really like short course swimmingshe said.
The National Short Course Championships are held until Sunday in the Otopeni Swimming Complex; they represent the official qualification criteria for the European Short Course Championships in Lublin (December 2-7).
