“I am my biggest critic” – David Popovici reflects on his junior record-breaking swim

David Popovici has made a name for himself in the last few years after his sudden burst onto the scene. The young Romanian swimmer is known for his exceptional speed in freestyle competitions. At just 18, his swims look very promising to the trained eye, and he is expected to become a staple name in the sport very soon.

The 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (Short Course) is currently taking place in Melbourne, Australia, and will go on till 18 December 2022.

On Monday (day two), at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Popovici shattered the world junior record in the semifinals of the 100-meter freestyle. In doing so, he reflected on his performance and made a strong statement to World Aquatics:

“I didn’t think I would be swimming this fast, but sometimes I can doubt myself. I think that I am my biggest critic."

Popovici swims at the 100m freestyle semis: Melbourne 2022 FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships - Day 2 (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

David Popovici's record-breaking swim

On the second day of the 16th FINA World Short Course championships, Popovici swam in the semifinals of the 100-meter freestyle. He finished the race in fifth place, stopping the clock at 45.91 seconds.

Although he did not finish first, he broke the world junior record in the 100-meter Freestyle by approximately 0.2 seconds. Russian swimmer Kliment Kolesnikov held the previous record at 46.11 seconds.

Speaking to World Aquatics, the 18-year-old Romanian reflected on his performance and said:

“I didn’t think I would be breaking any more junior records this year but it looks like a did, so it was a pleasant surprise."

Popovici prepares for the 100m freestyle semis: Melbourne 2022 FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships - Day 2

Popovici is well known for being a potent long-course swimmer. Earlier this year, at the 2022 World Championships (Long Course) in Budapest, Hungary, Popovici won the gold medal in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle. In the 200-meter event, he set a new world junior record by finishing at 1:43.21.

Continuing his conversation with World Aquatics, he reiterated his dislike for the short course version of professional swimming:

"I swam well, but against my will because I still hate short course."

He also talked about how he is still learning to swim in the short-course pool, which he is still unused to.

Popovici poses at the FINA New Brand Launch Event, 2022 (Photo by Wayne Taylor/Getty Images for FINA)

"I am still learning and I am going to learn some more during the final ... I have to adapt but it’s looking good. I am currently learning and I just came from the lesson. Tomorrow for the final, once more, I am going to class again."

Popovici is the first junior to go under the 46-second barrier. He is one of five swimmers who finished under 46 seconds at the 100-meter Freestyle semifinals. Popovici is currently led by three swimmers going into the finals: Jordan Crooks, Kyle Chalmers, and Alessandro Miressi.