Romanian teen swimming sensation David Popovici said Monday he was ready to renew his rivalry with South Korean star Hwang Sun-woo at the ongoing world championships in Japan.
Popovici, the defending champion in the men's 200-meter freestyle, won the semifinals in Fukuoka in 1:44.70. Hwang, who won silver last year, finished third in the semis with a time of 1:45.07.
David Popovici of Romania checks his time after competing in the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
David Popovici of Romania checks his time after competing in the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
Popovici, 18, took the swimming world by storm at last year's worlds in Budapest, winning the 200m free with the world junior record time of 1:43.21. Hwang's national record of 1:44.47 wasn't enough.
This year, Hwang arrived in Fukuoka with the fastest 200m freestyle time this season at 1:44.61, while Popovici lagged behind in seventh place at 1:45.49.
The tables turned Monday, though. Hwang barely got past the heats earlier Monday, finishing tying for 13th at 1:46.69, with the top 16 advancing to the semis. Popovici eased into the semis in third place at 1:45.86.
Afterward, Popovici said he couldn't wait for another round against Hwang.
"A very nice guy. More than a swimmer: he's a really polite and kind dude," Popovici told Yonhap News Agency. "We've been friends for as long as we swam together. And he's also a very fierce competitor that I look very forward to racing with."
David Popovici of Romania leaves the pool after competing in the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
David Popovici of Romania leaves the pool after competing in the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
Popovici said he wanted to pace himself a bit in the morning session, but it was a different story in the evening's semifinals, because "I wanted to be the first in my heat and get an almost certain ticket to the final."
"That's what I did. And tomorrow, I hope it's going to be an even cleaner race," he said. "Of course, the result you get is kind of important in terms of the place you get, but I don't really care about that. I care about having a good time and being satisfied with my race."
Asked if he feels confident about defending his gold, Popovici said: "Yeah, I'm okay. You can never be too confident. And it's even a bad thing to be overconfident."
David Popovici of Romania competes in the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
David Popovici of Romania competes in the semifinals of the men's 200-meter freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A in Fukuoka, Japan, on July 24, 2023. (Yonhap)
Source: Yonhap News Agency