David Popovici breaks national record in 100m fly at 2023 Romanian National Championships

Romanian swimming sensation David Popovici has broken yet another record. This time, he broke the national record in the 100-meter butterfly event at the 2023 Romanian Swimming Championships.

The 2023 Romanian Swimming Championships began on April 5, 2023, and was held till April 9 at Otopeni. On the final day of the competition, he made another Romanian record his own to conclude his participation at the championships.

David Popovici competed in the 100-meter butterfly event on Sunday and emerged victorious by clocking a time of 52.30. He shaved off .05 seconds from Daniel Martin's 2019 record of 52.35, according to Swimswam.

Martin was just 18 years old when he set the record. But since his national record-setting swim, he hasn't been able to swim under 52.98. At the 2023 Romanian Swimming Championships, Daniel Martin, now 21 years of age, competed in the 100-meter butterfly and finished in second place by clocking a time of 53.19.

David Popovici's previous personal best time in the 100-meter butterfly event was 58.18. He set this personal best time back in 2019. As per Swimswam, the 100-meter butterfly is also not an event that he has often competed in.

David Popovici of Team Romania celebrates winning gold alongside Silver medallist, Sunwoo Hwang of Team South Korea after the Men's 200m Freestyle Final on day three of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships

The Romanian swimming sensation also competed in several secondary events at the competition this week. He competed in his best event, the 100-meter freestyle in which he is a world record holder, clocking a time of 47.61.

However, Popovici didn't compete in his second-best event, the 200-meter freestyle. -- despite being a world champion in it.

After the completion of the 100-meter butterfly event, David Popovici made the following statement, according to Swimswam:

"Whoever says he is not tired on the last day is lying. Thanks to the audience for coming. I know I have a lot of friends, loved ones, and family in the stands and they are at the core of my inspiration. I competed in backstroke and butterfly to see what I was up to. I want to be a complete swimmer. I have to continue to prove that I am capable."

Apart from the 100-meter butterfly and 100-meter freestyle, the other events David Popovici competed in were the 50-meter butterfly, 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter backstroke, and 400-meter freestyle.

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Noteworthy performances on Day 5 of the 2023 Romanian Swimming Championships in addition to David Popovici

There were several other fascinating performances by other swimmers on Day 5 of the 2023 Romanian Swimming Championships. The 2022 World Juniors 1500-meter freestyle bronze medalist, Vlad Stancu, competed as well. He won the event by clocking a time of 15:22.45.

This was short of his national record of 15:05. But the time puts him under the "B" standard for this summer's world championships, according to Swimswam. Denisa Bacalu clocked a time of 1:01.85 in the 100-meter butterfly prelims to break the national record in the U14 category and also qualify for the finals.

Silver medalist Laszio Galicz of Hungary, Gold medalist Carlos Garach of Spain and Bronze medalist Vlad Stancu of Romania celebrate on the podium after the Men's 1500m Freestyle on day six of FINA World Junior Swimming Championships Lima 2022

Aissia Claudia Prisecariu and her teammates Alecsia Maria Tenciu, Simona Maria Predescu, and Daria Mariuca Silisteanu clocked a combined time of 4:16.50 in the women's 400-meter medley relay. This whacked almost two seconds off the Romanian record for clubs.

The broken record was set way back in 1996, as per the aforementioned source. All four members of the team represent the same club (Clubul Sportiv Dinamo Bucuresti) as David Popovici. Aissia Claudia also swam the 200-meter backstroke.

She clocked a time of 2:12.47, which broke the Romanian U15 record. The previous year, Claudia set the Romanian U14 record with a time of 2:14.64.