David Popovici, the 21-year-old champion from Romania, is set to compete in the heats for the 200m freestyle at the European Championships in Paris. He will swim in heat 9, which begins at 10:59 AM.
Roxana Fleșeru, a reporter on-site in Paris, is providing the latest updates from the championships.
Fans can catch the Olympic, World, and European champion’s race on TVR 1 and TVR Sport. The semifinals for the 200m freestyle will take place tonight at 7:41 PM and 7:45 PM.
Live Updates: 200m Freestyle Heats
As of 10:45 AM, Eric Andrieș finished third in heat 4 of the 200m freestyle, clocking in at 1:49.27. He was fifth after the first length but managed to maintain his position through the 100m mark and surged in the final lap to secure third place.
- Jarno Baschnitt (Germany) – Lane 0
- Dimitros Markos (Greece) – Lane 1
- Robin Hanson (Sweden) – Lane 2
- Jack McMillan (United Kingdom) – Lane 3
- David Popovici (Romania) – Lane 4
- Kamil Aleksander Sieradzki (Poland) – Lane 5
- Sander K. Sorensen (Norway) – Lane 6
- Roman Fuchs (France) – Lane 7
- Roman Akimov (Russia) – Lane 8
- Andrei Cherepkov (Russia) – Lane 9
Popovici’s Credentials in the 200m Freestyle
David Popovici, the defending European champion in the 200m freestyle, is a favorite to win again in Paris. He has achieved two European titles in this event, along with being an Olympic and World champion.
If he wins gold in the 200m freestyle, he will make history as the first swimmer to claim gold in both the 100m and 200m freestyle at three consecutive European Championships.
David Popovici’s Strategy
Popovici stated, “I just need to qualify for the semifinals first, and then aim for the finals. I believe it won’t be as competitive as the 100 meters, where incredible performances were witnessed, with everyone swimming exceptionally well.” He added, “However, that doesn’t mean I should take it easy. Thursday won’t be an easy day, but I don’t intend to give my all just yet; that will be reserved for the final.”
Schedule for Romanian Athletes on Day Four
- 200m Freestyle – Eric Andrieș (Heat 4, 10:41), David Popovici (Heat 9, 10:59)
- 50m Backstroke – Tudor Iordache (Heat 2, 11:22), Alexandru Constantinescu (Heat 3, 11:24), Denis Popescu (Heat 6, 11:31)
Popovici’s Championship History
- 2022 (Rome) – 100m Freestyle – Gold
- 2022 (Rome) – 200m Freestyle – Gold
- 2024 (Belgrade) – 100m Freestyle – Gold
- 2024 (Belgrade) – 200m Freestyle – Gold
- 2026 (Paris) – 100m Freestyle – Gold
