David Popovici wins third consecutive European 100m freestyle title

Romanian swimmer David Popovici secured his third consecutive European title in the 100m freestyle at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris. He set a new championship record with a time of 46.56 seconds, finishing just 0.16 seconds shy of the world record.

In a highly competitive final, Popovici overcame a strong start by Egor Kornev, who took the silver medal with a time of 46.74 seconds. Hungarian swimmer Kristof Milák claimed the bronze with 46.87 seconds. The final was noted for its exceptional speed, as it was the first time in the history of the championships that the top three finishers all swam under 47 seconds.

Popovici also qualified for the final of the 200m freestyle, recording the fastest time in the semifinals with 1:44.56. He expressed pride in defending his title and noted the high level of European swimming, stating that the race was extremely close and faster than many previous Olympic finals.