David Popovici Produced an All-Time Spectacular Year in the 100 Freestyle
Having moved into the last two months of 2025, Swimming World will close out the year by presenting a look at some of the top performers from the campaign. These periodic pieces will highlight impressive accomplishments, great races, noteworthy moments and more. The series starts with an appreciation of the season packaged by Romanian superstar David Popovici in the 100-meter freestyle.
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A sub-47 performance in the 100 freestyle remains a significant achievement. Only six men have ever visited that territory, and none with greater frequency than David Popovici. During the 2025 campaign, Popovici clocked 46-point on three occasions, highlighted by a European record of 46.51 at the World Championships. That time ranks No. 2 in history, a mere .11 off the world record of China’s Pan Zhanle (46.40).
The Romanian speedster – a teenage prodigy – has been a presence on the international scene for a half-decade, but Popovici is just 21 years old, with his best days seemingly ahead. Over the past 10-plus months, he accounted for half of the sport’s sub-47 markers in the 100 free, and he delivered three of the four-fastest times for the year. In addition to his 46.51 outing that earned him gold at the World Championships in Singapore, Popovici clocked times of 46.71 and 46.84.
Popovici has always been known for his beautiful stroke and unmatched closing speed, the latter of which played a critical role in his best times. While Popovici punctuated his European record with a back-half split of 24.02, he went 23.98 while wrapping up his 46.71 showing at the European Under-23 Championships. Popovici is the only athlete to close a 100 freestyle with a sub-24 split. However, as he’s matured, Popovici has demonstrated the ability to generate a strong front half of his races.
Even when not in peak form, Popovici consistently produced eye-opening swims during the 2025 season. He logged six of the 19-fastest times in the world, the slowest of which was a 47.41 effort. For his career, he owns 11 of the 50-fastest performances of all-time, ranging from 46.51 to 47.22.
What can we expect from Popovici in 2026? The calendar for the upcoming year does not feature a global competition, so Popovici’s focus will be on the European Championships, scheduled for the summer in Paris. The meet will serve as an opportunity for the youngster to return to the French capital, where he claimed gold in the 200 freestyle and bronze in the 100 freestyle at the 2024 Olympic Games.
The way Popovici looked in 2025, a run at the world record in the 100 freestyle seems likely for the coming year.
