In 2022, David Popovici was named the World Aquatics Male Swimmer of the Year after winning two individual World titles in the 100m and 200m freestyle and setting the world record in the 100m freestyle. Now, the 21-year-old from Bucharest has added another accolade, earning the title of Romania's Male Athlete of the Year.
The honour comes after Popovici's performance at the Paris 2024 Games, where he became Romania’s first male swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal. In the Men's 200m Freestyle, Popovici edged out Team GB's Matthew Richards by two hundredths of a second in his final stroke. Popovici also added Olympic bronze in the Men's 100m Freestyle final, a race won by China's Pan Zhanle in World Record time.
Popovici was recognised alongside Simona Radiș, an Olympic champion in rowing, as Romania’s top athletes of the year at the 2024 Romanian Sports Gala. The awards, presented by the National Sports Agency, were handed out during a ceremony at the Romanian National Opera.
Popovici wasn't the only aquatics athlete to be honoured at the Gala. His personal coach, Adrian Radulescu, was named Male Coach of the Year. Camelia Potec, the Athens 2004 Olympic swimming champion in the Women's 200m Freestyle, was awarded the President of the Year award. Potec is now the President of the Romanian Aquatics and Modern Pentathlon Federation.
“I am happy for this award, I am happy for my entire team, I am happy that our effort is recognised,” Popovici said during the awards ceremony. “Last year was a very difficult year, very full. We had a lot to work and train for the Olympic Games, but in the end, it was worth it. I am very pleased with what happened.
"Winning is great, but every time I lose, I learn a lot. It's like in life—you can't always win, and I won’t always win either! But I want to be an example and inspire more young people to take up sports and swimming," added Popovici.
Romanian aquatics athletes had two other nominees: high diver Constantin Popovici in the Male Athlete of the Year category and junior swimmer Robert Badea shortlisted for the Male Sports Hopes award.
This August, Romania will host its first-ever global swimming competition, with the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships headed to Otopeni Aquatics Complex.