David Popovici Sets WJR 47.56 In 100 Free To Go Fourth In Rankings At European Juniors

David POPOVICI ROU swimming, nuoto LEN European Junior Swimming Championships 2021 Rome 2176 Stadio Del Nuoto Foro Italico Photo Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

David Popovici: Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

David Popovici set a new world junior 100 free record of 47.56 to go fourth in the rankings as the European Junior Championships got under way at the Foro Italico, Rome.

Link to results

Popovici, who doesn’t turn 17 until September, set a Romanian record of 48.08 en-route to finishing sixth at the European Championships in Budapest in May.

On Tuesday he cut an almighty slice of 0.52 from that time on the lead-off in the boys’ 4×100 free relay in which Romania were second in 3:19.93 behind Russia, who were anchored home by Vladislav Reznichenko in 48.90 (3:19.66) with Poland third in 3:19.96.

The 16-year-old was out in 23.07 and back in 24.49 to take 0.01 off the previous junior mark of 47.57 set by Andrei Minakov at the Russian Championships in October 2020.

He said:

“I’ve been in Rome before, so I’m happy to be back and to clock this time and also to sign a new relay record and a medal with my teammates.”

Rankings

47.31, Kliment Kolesnikov, Russian Swimming Championships

47.39, Caeleb Dressel, US Olympic Trials

47.45, Alessandro Miressi, European Championships

47.56, David Popovici, European Junior Championships

47.59, Kyle Chalmers, Australian Trials

Girls’ 400IM medallists: Photo Courtesy: deepbluemedia

Britain’s Katie Shanahan, who won six medals at the 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival, qualified fastest from the morning heats of the 400IM and returned to lead from start to finish to stop the clock at 4:42.59.

Deniz Ertan of Turkey came from eighth at halfway to finish second in 4:43.65 with Russia’s Anastasiia Sorokina rounding out the podium in 4:45.58.

Shanahan, who set a new PB, said:

“I’m really happy about today’s victory, I’ve done my best. I really didn’t expect to win. I’m excited to swim in this pool, it is the first time for me. Now I have to focus on the 200IM on Friday.”

Batuhan Filiz came from fourth at the final turn to win the boys’ 400 free in 3:50.68 in the opening final of the evening.

The Turkish swimmer – who turns 17 on 24 July – was 1.16 adrift of long-time leader David Koutny at 350 before powering past the field with a final 50 of 27.17.

Jovan Lekic, of Bosnia, was second in 3:50.79 with Koutny next home in 3:51.06.

Filiz said:

“I’m overjoyed about my result, this is my first gold and I’m really happy to win it here in Rome. It’s the first time I’ve raced in this pool.

“Also, this is a personal best for me, a fine confirmation of getting in a good shape for the Olympics.”

Hungary won the girls’ 4×200 relay in 8:00.95 ahead of Russia (8:04.78) and Turkey, who claimed their third medal of the day in 8:09.11, Ertan anchoring the quartet home for her second visit to the podium in 8:09.11 after Italy were disqualified for a faulty takeover.

Pilato Sizzles In The Semis

Benedetta Pilato 2021 European Junior championships

Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia

In the semis, Benedetta Pilato lowered her own championship 50 breaststroke record to 29.75 in the morning heats which she followed with 29.98 in the semis ahead of Elena Bogomolova (30.49) and Iuliaa Beznosova (30.93).

The Italian has now gone 29 on eight occasions in 2021, the most recent before today when she recorded 29.65 at the Sette Colli less than a fortnight ago at the same pool.

Russia qualified first and third in the 100 free with Daria Klepikova in 55.04 ahead of Nina Stanisavljevic of Serbia (55.42) and Daria Tatarinova (55.45).

Josif Miladinov, who won 100 fly silver at the European Championships in Budapest in May, led the 50 fly in 23.71 followed by Germany’s Tobias Schulrath (23.91) and Rasmus Nickelsen of Denmark (24.10).

Ksawery Masiuk of Poland led the boys’ 100 back field in 54.35 ahead of Ukraine’s Oleksandr Zheltyakov (54.57) and Turkey’s Berke Saka (55.23).

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