David Popovici, 17, breaks 100m freestyle world record at European championships

By CNN
August 14, 2022 | 9:59 AM

Popovici thumps his chest after setting a world record in the 100m freestyle.

Romanian teenager David Popovici set a world record in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 46.86 seconds at the European championships in Rome on Saturday.

The 17-year-old broke the previous record, set by Brazilian Cesar Cielo in 2009, by 0.05 seconds as he took gold ahead of Hungary’s Kristof Milak and Italy’s Alessandro Miressi.

Popovici, who was crowned world champion in the 100m and 200m freestyle earlier this year, becomes the youngest world record holder in the 100m freestyle event.

“I wanted to go as fast as possible and it looks like I did it,” he told the BBC, calling himself a “skinny legend.”

“A fantasy now might be a 45 (second time),” he added. “Adam Peaty is a pioneer in terms of the goals he set. For others it was science fiction, but not for him.”

British swimmer Peaty set himself the benchmark of becoming the first man to swim the 100m breaststroke in under 57 seconds during his career — a feat he achieved when he broke his own record in 2019.

The prospect of a new 100m freestyle record looked likely when Popovici broke the 47-second barrier for the first time in the semifinals on Friday. After his record-breaking swim the following day, he was congratulated by Cielo.

“I knew this day was coming… And it did! My 100m freestyle world record was broken after 13 years!” Cielo wrote on Twitter.

“Congratulations, Popovici! Glad to have had this huge record for so long!

“There is the new fastest man in the world in the 100 meters freestyle and he is just getting started!”

Watch the Washington Capitals on NBC Sports Washington

By NBC Sports Washington Staff
April 13, 2023 | 10:00 PM

Watch Capitals' season finale vs. Devils on NBCSW originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonThe Washington Capitals are back on NBC Sports Washington for the 2022-23 season.Don't miss the Caps' quest for a second Stanley Cup championship and Alex Ovechkin's historic chase of Wayne Gretzky. Head coach Peter Laviolette is in his third season at the helm with high expectations where he finally has a bonafide No. 1 goalie in reigning Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper. Can Washington get over the hump for a second time?All season long you can catch games, pregame and postgame coverage with the top insight from those who know the team best. Play-by-play Joe Beninati and color commentator Craig Laughlin are in the booth for their 26th year together of calling Capitals hockey.NBC Sports Washington will also surround all games with live gameday programs Capitals Pregame Live and Capitals Postgame Live. Capitals Pregame Live will be broadcast 30 minutes prior to the scheduled game start. Alexa Landestoy will host a talented and accomplished crew of analysts and insiders, including Alan May, Al Koken and Brent Johnson.NEXT CAPITALS GAME ON NBCSWWhat: Washington Capitals vs. New Jersey DevilsWhere: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.When: Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. ETTV Channel: Capitals vs. Devils will be broadcast on NBC Sports Washington. Find your channel here.Live Stream: You can live stream Capitals vs. Devils on NBC Sports Washington's live stream page and on the NBC Sports App.LATEST CAPITALS HEADLINESCapitals' season ends with overtime loss to DevilsWhen is the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs?Lindgren exits with injury as Capitals fall to BruinsCapitals play spoiler, sprint past Islanders to snap skidCaps’ Carlson nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial TrophyCAPITALS GAMEDAY COVERAGE SCHEDULECapitals Pregame Live: 30 minutes prior to the scheduled startCapitals GameCapitals Postgame Live: 30 minutes to an hour following the final hornFULL CAPITALS SCHEDULE:PreseasonSun. Sept 25: Sabres 4, Capitals 3 (OT)Wed. Sept 28: Capitals 3, Flyers 1Fri. Sept 30: Capitals 2, Red Wings 0Sat. Oct 1: Blue Jackets 2, Capitals 1Wed. Oct 5: Capitals 4, Red Wings 2Sat. Oct 8: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 3Regular SeasonWed. Oct 12: Bruins 5, Capitals 2 (0-1-0)Thu. Oct 13: Maple Leafs 3, Capitals 2 (0-2-0)Sat. Oct 15: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1 (1-2-0)Mon. Oct 17: Capitals 6, Canucks 4 (2-2-0)Thu. Oct 20: Senators 5, Capitals 2 (2-3-0)Sat. Oct 22: Capitals 4, Kings 3 (3-3-0)Mon. Oct 24: Capitals 6, Devils 3 (4-3-0)Thu. Oct 27: Stars 2, Capitals 0 (4-4-0)Sat. Oct 29: Capitals 3, Predators 0 (5-4-0)Mon. Oct 31: Hurricanes 3, Capitals 2 (SO) (5-4-1)Tue. Nov 1: Golden Knights 3, Capitals 2 (OT) (5-4-2)Thu. Nov 3: Red Wings 3, Capitals 1 (5-5-2)Sat. Nov 5: Coyotes 3, Capitals 2 (5-6-2)Mon. Nov 7: Capitals 5, Oilers 4 (6-6-2)Wed. Nov 9: Penguins 4, Capitals 1 (6-7-2)Fri. Nov 11: Capitals 5, Lightning 1 (7-7-2)Sun. Nov 13: Lighting 6, Capitals 3 (7-8-2)Tue. Nov 15: Panthers 5, Capitals 2 (7-9-2)Thu. Nov 17: Blues 5, Capitals 4 (SO) (7-9-3)Sat. Nov 19: Avalanche 4, Capitals 0 (7-10-3)Wed. Nov 23: Capitals 3, Flyers 2 (OT) (8-10-3)Fri. Nov 25: Capitals 3, Flames 0 (9-10-3)Sat. Nov 26: Devils 5, Capitals 1 (9-11-3)Tue. Nov 29: Capitals 5, Canucks 1 (10-11-3)Thu. Dec 1: Kraken 3, Capitals 2 (OT) (10-11-4)Sat. Dec 3: Flames 5, Capitals 2 (10-12-4)Mon. Dec 5: Capitals 3, Oilers 2 (11-12-4)Wed. Dec 7: Capitals 4, Flyers 1 (12-12-4)Fri. Dec 9: Capitals 4, Kraken 1 (13-12-4)Sun. Dec 11: Capitals 5, Jets 2 (14-12-4)Tue. Dec 13: Capitals 7, Blackhawks 3 (15-12-4)Thu. Dec 15: Stars 2, Capitals 1 (15-13-4)Sat. Dec 17: Capitals 5, Maple Leafs 2 (16-13-4)Mon. Dec 19: Capitals 4, Red Wings 3 (OT) (17-13-4)Thu. Dec 22: Capitals 3, Senators 2 (OT) (18-13-4)Fri. Dec 23: Capitals 4, Winnipeg Jets 1 (19-13-4)Tue. Dec 27: Capitals 4, Rangers 0 (20-13-4)Thu. Dec 29: Senators 4, Capitals 3 (OT) (20-13-5)Sat. Dec 31: Capitals 9, Canadiens 2 (21-13-5)Tue. Jan 3: Sabres 5, Capitals 4 (OT) (21-13-6)Thu. Jan 5: Capitals 6, Blue Jackets (22-13-6)Fri. Jan 6: Predators 3, Capitals 2 (22-14-6)Sun. Jan 8: Capitals 1, Blue Jackets 0 (23-14-6)Wed. Jan 11: Flyers 5, Capitals 3 (23-15-6)Sat. Jan 14: Flyers 3, Capitals 1 (23-16-6)Mon. Jan 16: Capitals 4, Islanders 3 (OT) (24-16-6)Tue. Jan 17: Wild 4, Capitals 2 (24-17-6)Thu. Jan 19: Capitals 4, Coyotes 0 (25-17-6)Sat. Jan 21: Golden Knights 6, Capitals 2 (25-18-6)Tue. Jan 24: Avalanche 3, Capitals 2 (25-19-6)Thu. Jan 26: Capitals 3, Penguins 2 (S/O) (26-19-6)Sun. Jan 29: Maple Leafs 5, Capitals 1 (26-20-6)Tue. Jan 31: Capitals 4, Blue Jackets 3 (OT) (27-20-6)Sat. Feb 11: Capitals 2, Bruins 1 (28-20-6)Sun. Feb 12: Sharks 4, Capitals 1 (28-21-6)Tue. Feb 14: Hurricanes 3, Capitals 2 (28-22-6)Thu. Feb 16: Panthers 6, Capitals 3 (28-23-6)Sat. Feb 18: Hurricanes 4, Capitals 1 (28-24-6)Tue. Feb 21: Red Wings 3, Capitals 1 (28-25-6)Thu. Feb 23: Ducks 4, Capitals 2 (28-26-6)Sat. Feb 25: Capitals 6, Rangers 3 (29-26-6)Sun. Feb 26: Sabres 7, Capitals 4 (29-27-6)Wed. Mar 1: Capitals 3, Ducks 2 (OT) (30-27-6)Sat. Mar 4: Capitals 8, Sharks 3 (31-27-6)Mon. Mar 6: Kings 4, Capitals 2 (31-28-6)Thu. Mar 9: Devils 3, Capitals 2 (SO) (31-28-7)Sat. Mar 11: Capitals 5, Islanders 1 (32-28-7)Tue. Mar 14: Rangers 5, Capitals 3 (32-29-7)Wed. Mar 15: Capitals 5, Sabres 4 (SO) (33-29-7)Fri. Mar 17: Blues 5, Capitals 2 (33-30-7)Sun. Mar 19: Wild 5, Capitals 3 (33-31-7)Tue. Mar 21: Blue Jackets 7, Capitals 6 (OT) (33-31-8)Thu. Mar 23: Capitals 6, Blackhawks 1 (34-31-8)Sat. Mar 25: Penguins 4, Capitals 3 (34-32-8)Wed. Mar 29: Islanders 2, Capitals 1 (SO) (34-32-9)Thu. Mar 30: Lightning 5, Capitals 1 (34-33-9)Sun. Apr 2: Rangers 5, Capitals 2 (34-34-9)Thu. Apr 6: Canadiens 6, Capitals 2 (34-35-9)Sat. Apr 8: Panthers 4, Capitals 2 (34-36-9)Mon. Apr 10: Capitals 5, Islanders 2 (35-36-9)Tue. Apr 11: Bruins 5, Capitals 2 (35-37-9)Thu. Apr 13: Devils 5, Capitals 4 (35-38-10)

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