2022 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
David Popovici has swum his third world junior record of the meet at the 2022 World Swimming Championships, hitting a 47.13 in the 100 freestyle semi-final. That’s enough to take out his own previous world junior record of 47.30, which he set at the European Junior Championships in July 2021.
Prior to this swim, Popovici set a new WJR in the 200 freestyle twice, first hitting a 1:44.40 in semi-finals before lowering it again to a 1:43.21 to win gold.
This 47.13 by Popovici is just 0.02 seconds off the European record in the event of 47.11, which Kliment Kolesnikov set at Tokyo 2020. Alain Bernard of France swam faster than that at the 2009 French Championships but it wasn’t ratified as a European record.
Popovici opened quicker on this 100 freestyle than he did in 2021, hitting a 22.81 compared to the 22.97 at European Juniors. He closed just 0.01 seconds faster on the back half.
Splits Comparison
| Popovici – 2022 World Championships | Popovici – 2021 European Junior Championships | |
| 50 freestyle | 22.81 | 22.97 |
| 100 freestyle | 47.13 (24.32) | 47.30 (24.33) |
Popovici is inching toward the 100 freestyle world record now, which sits at a 46.91 from Cesar Cielo at the 2009 World Championships. Only 2 other men have swum under 47 seconds in this event in Caeleb Dressel and Alain Bernard. Notably, Bernard’s 46.94 was not ratified as a European record but it was a world record at the time.
David Popovici is now the 9th-fastest man in history in the 100 freestyle, moving up from the 11th-place position he formerly occupied. He surpassed Fred Bousquet and Brent Hayden who are now #10 and #11 with a 47.25 and 47.27, respectively.
All-time Performers In The Men’s 100 Freestyle
- Cesar Cielo (BRA) – 46.91 (2009)
- Alain Bernard (FRA) – 46.94 (2009)
- Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 46.96 (2019)
- Cam McEvoy (AUS) – 47.04 (2016)
- Eamon Sullivan (AUS) – 47.05 (2008)
- Kyle Chalmers (AUS) – 47.08 (2019, 2021)
- James Magnussen (AUS) – 47.10 (2012)
- Kliment Kolesnikov – 47.11 (2021)
- David Popovici – 47.13 (2022)
- Fred Bousquet (FRA) – 47.25
Popovici will advance to the final in first place here, ahead of Maxime Grousset of France who hit a 47.54 for second place and Josh Liendo from Canada who swam a 47.55 for third. Notably, top seed heading into this event and #2 performer in the heats Caeleb Dressel pulled out of the semi-final and won’t be in the final.