David Popovici, 21, successfully advanced to the final of the 200m freestyle at the European Championships in Paris with a time of 1:44.56, earning him lane 4 for the decisive race. Prior to the semifinal, he encountered a humorous moment of confusion.
Popovici delivered another strong performance just a day after his impressive win in the 100m freestyle. He swam in both the morning heats and the evening semifinals, aiming to secure the best position for the final.
He achieved the fastest time of the semifinals at 1:44.56, followed closely by Germany’s Lukas Mertens at 1:44.79 and Britain’s James Guy at 1:45.14, all from the first semifinal.
In the mixed zone, he shared that he felt “much better than in the morning”. He explained, “I know how to swim like this: slower… I know it sounds a bit strange, but I don’t really know how to swim slower. I was much more in my element this time. And I secured my preferred lane for the final.”
The first semifinal was swum 1.01 seconds faster than the second. When asked about the pace, Popovici humorously noted, “The idea is that the top two from each semifinal qualify automatically, even if you swim three minutes slower,” indicating his confidence in his qualifications.
He added, “This works in my favor because I can use it as a reference to win. Or, at worst, I can be second and still qualify automatically. By aiming for that, I swam even faster than at the Olympics, or at least I believe I did.”
David Popovici’s Comical Lane Mix-Up
Before the semifinal, he amusingly recounted a moment where he headed to the wrong starting block, mistakenly going for lane 4 instead of lane 5.
“I’m used to lane 4. Instinctively, I went straight to lane 4. I forgot I qualified and was actually in lane 5,” he laughed. “When I realized I wasn’t in lane 4, I thought, ‘Oh, wait, I’m in 5.’ So, I headed to 3!”
“I was thinking, ‘Why are these lanes so mixed up?’ I was a bit confused… I was focused on the race and what I had to do. Finally, when I found lane 5, I said, ‘Alright, let’s start the race. Darn it,'” he joked.
Looking Ahead to the 200m Freestyle Final
Popovici anticipates a “fast” final featuring strong competitors including a German, an Austrian, and a Belgian swimmer. He noted, “I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone’s nationality that could give me a run for my money, like the English. There are plenty who can keep up with me. So, it should be exciting, maybe just as close as the 100m, who knows?”
Britain’s Matt Richards did not compete in the 200m freestyle heats, and Popovici expressed concern about his absence, saying, “I have no idea why. I haven’t spoken to him. I hope he’s okay, healthy, and that he withdrew for some other reason.”
When questioned about the Pan Pacific Games happening in parallel in Irvine, California, he confirmed he is keeping an eye on the events. He remarked, “Two Americans swam under 1:44 yesterday. I am watching everything. Marchand swam the best time of the season a few days ago. That’s definitely one of my goals for tomorrow,” he concluded.
Top Times in 200m Freestyle This Year
Leon Marchand 1:43.76
Luke Hobson 1:43.85
Gabriell Jett 1:43.96
David Popovici 1:44.48
