The Romanian prodigy's race plan was simple: "I didn't really have a time in mind, the only advice my coach gave me was 'Do something crazy'. I think what I I've done is pretty crazy at the moment," said the teenager after his race, calm, relaxed, at ease with the media as usual.

In the lead from the first cast, Popovici never let go of first place, and even accelerated in the last length to win in 1 min 42 sec 97, well ahead of the Swiss Antonio Djakovic (1:45.60) and the Austrian Felix Auboeck (1:45.89).

"The last length is my specialty, in the 100m as in the 200m. So I knew I was going to leave the others a little behind. I expected it," he explained.

However, "it's not easy to do," he said.

"I was extremely tired. I've had races where I've been much more tired than that, but that one killed me a bit."

We thought it inaccessible for quite a while, but the old world record of the German Paul Biedermann (1 min 42 s 00 in 2009 in Rome), established in the mad era of wetsuits, may begin to waver.

"I finally managed to swim under 1 min 43 (his old record was 1:43.21, editor's note). The time is excellent, it was a difficult race to swim. I think the time is deserved", s' is congratulated Popovici.

"We are all human"

In the history of swimming, only two have gone faster than him over the distance.

Paul Biedermann, therefore, and the American legend Michael Phelps, for a small hundredth (1:42.96).

Frenchman Yannick Agnel, crowned Olympic champion at the London Games in 2012 with a time of 1:43.14, demoted him to the rank of fourth best performer in history.

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Asked at the start of the week about the possibility of approaching the world record of the German swimmer, established in this same swimming pool of the Foro Italico, Popovici, philosopher, had replied: "Paul is human, he was human when he broke the record , and we're all human. I think it's as simple as that."

At 17, the skinny teenager from Bucharest continues to defy the limits of time, after winning the European title on Saturday in the queen distance of swimming, the 100m, by improving the world record of Brazilian César by five hundredths. Cielo in 46.86.

"Good place to start"

The one who had already achieved the 100-200 m double at the World Championships in Budapest last June is certainly establishing himself as the new phenomenon of the basins.

But his new status doesn't seem to affect him.

"I haven't been on social media (...) I don't really know what impact I have in Romania at the moment or in the world of swimming, I only see what is around me", he affirmed with his disconcerting maturity.

"But after a while, going online, I'll see the impact I've had, and I'm excited to know that."

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His program in the Italian capital is far from over since he will start on Wednesday for the 400m series, a distance that is not part of his habits.

"It's the weirdest race I'm going to do here because I have no experience. I've only swum it three times in my life and it was in small meetings. But it's a good place to start and see if I'm good or not."

© 2022 AFP