Two months before the European Championships in Paris, the European Federation used an image of David Popovici to promote the competition
Article by Roxana Fleşeru – Published Wednesday, June 10, 2026 9:13 p.m. / Updated Wednesday, June 10, 2026 9:32 p.m.
David Popovici (21 years old) has as his goal competition this season the European Championships, which will take place in Paris between August 10 and 17. To promote the competition, a photo of the Romanian in a frame from the Louvre museum was used on the social networks of the European Swimming Federation.
David Popovici, quadruple European gold medalist in the Olympic pool, will participate this summer in the fourth edition of the European Senior Championships in his career. The competition will take place in Paris at the Paris Olympic Aquatic Centre, where synchronized swimming, diving and part of the polo tournament took place during the Olympic Games. The swimming events took place in La Defense Arena, and David Popovici won gold in the 200m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle.
Two months before the start of the swimming trials, on the social networks of the forum that governs swimming at the European level, an image of the Romanian bowing appeared, superimposed on a painting from the Louvre, under the title “Popovici? To be exhibited in the Louvre”.
It's a phrase that was used several times during the Olympic Games for various developments of top athletes, when they were so impressive, elegant or perfect that they rivaled the works of art in the largest museum in the French capital.
Popovich? Hang it in the Louvre 🇫🇷🖼️#EuropeanAquatics #Paris2026 #Swimming pic.twitter.com/7aeSHkSL2E
— European Aquatics (@EuroAquatics) June 10, 2026
The photo is from 2022, from the European Championships in Rome, when the Romanian set a new world record in the 100 m freestyle, swimming the two lengths of the pool in 46.86 s.
After the race, he thanked the spectators by bowing, a gesture he repeated that year at the European Junior Championships in Otopeni. Then there was a break until the 2025 European U23 Championships in Samorin, when he swam 46.71s in the queen's swimming event. The Romanian's best time was set at the World Championships in Singapore, 46.51 s.
David Popovici, four European gold medals in three editions
David Popovici made his debut at the European Senior Championships in 2021, when he was just 16 years old, when he finished sixth in the 100m freestyle. In Budapest, the Romanian managed to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
His second participation in the continental competition was in 2022 in Rome, where he won two gold medals in the 100 and 200 m freestyle. His third appearance was in 2024, in Belgrade, where he defended both titles.
David Popovici tests himself before the European Championships from Paris to Rome, at the Settecolli competition, which takes place at the Foro Italico, the venue of the EC 2022, between June 26 and 28. “The training is going great. The competition in Rome is an important test, a very serious training before the European Championships”, said David Popovici.
The four-time European champion participated in only one competition this year, in April, at the National Championships in Otopeni, where he won in the 50, 100 and 200 m freestyle.
