David Popovici (21 years old) won the gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle event at the European Championships in Paris, and the Spaniards were convinced.
Popovici achieved another double gold, in the 100 and 200-meter freestyle events at the European Swimming Championships in Paris, and journalists from Marca were convinced that our athlete has no rival in Europe.
Marca wrote about Popovici's successful performance, after he became the first swimmer in history to win gold three times in a row in the 100 and 200 meters at the European Championships.
"David Popovici has no rival.
The Romanian repeats the double in the 100 and 200 meters for the third time with absolute authority.
David Popovici repeated the double for the third time in the speed events of the continental championships at the European Championships. As it happened in Rome in 2022 and in Belgrade in 2024, the Romanian prevailed in the 200-meter freestyle and completed his collection, demonstrating that he has no rival on the continent," notes Marca.
David Popovici made history
The success in Paris brought him a historic achievement. Popovici became the first swimmer in history to win gold in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle at three editions of the European Championships.
Until now, since the introduction of the 200-meter freestyle event at the Europeans in 1970, only three athletes had managed to win gold twice in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle. Besides Popovici, among them were the German Peter Nocke in 1974 and 1977, and the Dutch Pieter van den Hoogenband in 1999 and 2002.
David Popovici has now surpassed the two of them. With the gold won in Paris, the Romanian has reached three editions of the European Championships where he has won the title in both the 100 and 200 meters freestyle, thus establishing a milestone.