European Aquatics Championships 2026: David Popovici wins third consecutive 100m freestyle title in Paris

It got here all the way down to the final stroke.

Romania’s David Popovici gained his third-straight continental title within the males’s 100 metres freestyle on Wednesday (12 August), out-touching Egor Kornev to take care of his dominance on the European Aquatics Championships 2026 in Paris, France.

Popovici’s time was 46.56, a championship report, with Kornev touching at 46.74. Kristof Milak took the bronze at 46.87.

“It feels good. It feels as if all of the training makes sense,” Popovici stated afterwards. “I feel really good defending my title, it was a very fast and packed final with everyone involved.”

The Romanian entered because the heavy favorite because the European report holder, two-time defending champion, and reigning world champion. He gained two medals on the Olympic Games Paris 2024: gold within the males’s 200m freestyle and bronze within the 100m.

On Wednesday, Kornev led on the midway mark. It was a lead that the 22-year-old held practically to the top as Popovici chased him all the way down to the wall. With simply 10 metres to go, Kornev nonetheless held a slight benefit, however Popovici in the end pushed previous for the win.

The win, he says, provides to his motivation as he appears to be like to LA28.

“Even more so, after the [Paris] Olympics I’ve had to find new ways to channel this hunger. I’ve had to find new channels of where to get it from, but it definitely gives me something to work to – this world record that I’m really close to,” Popovici defined. “And now I do know means higher than earlier than what I have to work to attain this objective.

“But at the same time, I can’t not be happy about this title.”