Romanian swimmer David Popovici have been voted Europe’s best in 2022 at the European Swimming League (LEN) Gala, the forum has announced on its official website.
Popovici scored a significant 56.16% in the ranking made public by LEN, topping Hungary’s Kristof Milak (22.71$), Italian Thomas Ceccon (13.79%), French Leon Marchand (4.77%) and another Italian, Nicolo Martinenghi (2.56%).
Popovici, who is only 18 years old, won two gold medals in the World Championships last year (100 m freestyle and 200 m freestyle), two gold medals in the European Championships (100 m freestyle and 200 m freestyle), and established a new world record in the 100 m freestyle event, while also winning the bronze medal in the short basin event at the World Championships (100 m freestyle), and three other gold medals in the world and European junior championships.
Another Romanian athlete in the ranking was Constantin Popovici, the en titre European champion in high dive, and the 5th ranked in the World Series ranking, who came out first, with 64.77 votes, followed by his fellow countryman Catalin Preda, European vice-champion and the 3rd ranked in the World Series, 24.18%, and Italian Alessandro De Rose, who won the bronze medal in the European Championships, 11.05%.
These were Romania’s first distinctions at the LEN Gala, which had its first edition in 2008. The public vote weighed 30% in overall results.
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