David Popovici wins historic third consecutive European freestyle double

Romanian swimmer David Popovici has made history at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris by becoming the first swimmer to achieve the 100m and 200m freestyle double at three consecutive European Championships (2022, 2024, and 2026).

In the 200m freestyle final, Popovici secured gold with a time of 1:44.15, defeating Lithuania’s Tomas Navikonis and Great Britain’s James Guy. This victory followed his gold medal in the 100m freestyle earlier in the week, where he set a new championship record.

In recognition of his exceptional season, which included two gold medals at the World Championships in Singapore, European Aquatics named Popovici the best European swimmer of 2025. The athlete attributed his success to mental composure and calm, noting the importance of working with a psychologist to maintain focus at the highest level of competition.