David Popovici wins gold in 100m freestyle and sets competition record at Rome's Sette Colli Trophy

Gold in the 100m freestyle

David Popovici won the men's 100m freestyle final at the 62nd Sette Colli Trophy on Saturday, touching in 47.26 seconds to break the competition record. The Romanian powered to the lead from lane four and finished ahead of Brazil's Guilherme Santos Caribe (47.88) and Hungary's Kristof Milak (47.89). The result adds a second medal in two days after Popovici claimed silver in the 50m freestyle the previous evening.

A strong qualifying performance

Popovici had already signaled his form in the morning heats, posting the fastest qualifying time of 47.72 seconds. That effort earned him the prime lane for the final, where he converted his top seeding into a dominant win. The 21-year-old entered the meet as the Olympic and world champion and delivered a performance that underlined his status among the world's elite sprinters.

Popovici's connection with Rome

After collecting his medal, the swimmer spoke about the special bond he feels with the Foro Italico pool. He described it as one of his favourite places in the world, recalling past successes that make each return to the Italian capital a deeply positive moment.

“I missed them too, and I hope they missed me. I've been waiting a long time for this moment, to return to Rome, to compete and swim fast. It's not just my favourite pool in the world, it's one of my favourite places. It brings back very pleasant memories.”

European Championships on the horizon

Popovici views the entire Sette Colli meet as vital preparation for the European Championships, scheduled for 10–16 August in Paris. He explained that starting with an event where pressure feels lower helps him build momentum, and that recovery now precedes a full focus on the 100m freestyle.

“The whole competition is a very good warm-up for the Europeans. I like to start with an event where the pressure is a bit lower. Now it's recovery, and then I focus on the 100m freestyle.”

Competition amid a heatwave

The 62nd edition of the Sette Colli Trophy took place under challenging conditions, with a heatwave pushing temperatures close to 40 degrees Celsius in Rome. The extreme weather did not dampen the crowd at the Foro Italico complex, which witnessed a series of high-quality races. Popovici's campaign at the meet is not yet finished: he is scheduled to race the 200m freestyle on Sunday, 28 June.