Romanian swimmers David Popovici and Denis Popescu secure gold medals on the opening day of the European Under-23 Swimming Championships.
Romania made a splash at the European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, with two gold medal wins on the first day of the competition. The victories, achieved by swimmers David Popovici and Denis Popescu, marked a historic moment for the Romanian team.
In the men's 200m freestyle, David Popovici swam to victory with a time of 1:43.64, setting a new European record. Popovici's impressive performance did not stop there, as he also won gold in the 100m freestyle, setting a new European record in this event as well. In addition to his gold medals, Popovici earned a bronze in the 50m freestyle.
Denis Popescu, another rising star for Romania, won gold in the 100m butterfly with a time of 51.48 seconds. Popescu's victory was particularly notable as he set a new Romanian national record for the over-19 age category in this event, breaking Popovici's previous national record. The Romanian Swimming Federation confirmed Popescu's new national record.
Vlad Mihalache also competed in the 100m butterfly, finishing seventh with a time of 52.67 seconds. Alexandru Constantinescu competed in the men's 200m backstroke final, finishing eighth with a time of 2:01.23. Rebecca Diaconescu narrowly missed the podium in the women's 800m freestyle, placing fourth in 8:36.84.
The European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships are for swimmers under the age of 23 and are being held in Samorin, Slovakia, in June 2025. The Romanian national anthem was played twice during the evening finals as the country's flag was raised in celebration of the victories.
The success of Popovici and Popescu at the European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships is a testament to the talent and hard work of the Romanian swimmers. As the competition continues, the team will look to build on their strong start and make even more history in Slovakia.
Sports continued to shine for Romania at the European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships, with Denis Popescu winning gold in the 100m butterfly, setting a new Romanian national record for the over-19 age category. Meanwhile, David Popovici, who had already set new European records in the 200m and 100m freestyle events earlier in the competition, added a bronze medal to his collection in the 50m freestyle.
