Romanian swimmers David Popovici and Denis Popescu secure the top spots on Day 1 of the European U23 Swimming Championships
**Romania Shines at the European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships in Samorin, Slovakia**
The European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships took place in Samorin, Slovakia, where Romanian swimmers made a significant impact. The competition, designed for swimmers under the age of 23, saw Romania take home two gold medals and set new national records.
The standout performer for Romania was David Popovici, who dominated the event. In the men's 200m freestyle, he set a blistering pace to win the gold medal in a time of 1:43.64. Popovici also made history in the 100m freestyle, breaking the European record with a time of 46.71 seconds, which is the second-fastest time ever recorded for this event. He further added to his medal tally with a bronze in the 50m freestyle.
Patrick Dinu also reached the 100m freestyle final, finishing in seventh place with a time that was the seventh-best in the heats. Mihai Gergely and Ștefan Cozma also participated in the 100m freestyle event.
In an impressive display of versatility, Denis Popescu set a new national record in the over-19 age category in the 100m butterfly, winning the gold medal with a time of 51.48 seconds. Vlad Mihalache finished seventh in the same event 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. The Romanian Swimming Federation announced Popescu's performance in the 100m butterfly as a new national record.
The Romanian national anthem played twice during the evening finals, signifying the country's success at the championships. In total, Romania won two gold medals at the European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships in Samorin, Slovakia.
While there is no official record of a U23 European Championship in 2022, the 2025 event in Samorin, Slovakia, marked a significant moment for Romanian swimming, with Popovici leading the way as the country's most prominent swimmer at the U23 level in recent years.
The European Aquatics U23 Swimming Championships in Samorin, Slovakia showcased the prowess of Romanian swimmers, particularly David Popovici, who made a splash in both the men's 200m freestyle and the 100m freestyle, setting new records and winning gold medals. Sports, such as swimming, continue to thrive and shine in Romania.
