World Championships: Teen Stars David Popovici and Sunwoo Hwang Pace Qualifying in 200 Freestyle

ATHLETE: DAVID POPOVICI PHOTOGRAPHER: MATEI BUTA IMAGE USE: FULL BUYOUT

Editorial content for the 2022 FINA World Championships coverage is sponsored by eo SwimBETTER. See full event coverage.
Swim faster... faster, with game-changing data insight into your technique. eolab.com #eoSwimBETTER

World Championships: Teen Stars David Popovici and Sunwoo Hwang Pace Qualifying in 200 Freestyle

When David Popovici graced the cover of Swimming World Magazine last October, the accompanying article was titled: “The Boy Who Might Be King.” The headline was a nod to the Romanian youngster’s vast talent and meteoric rise into the upper echelon of the sport, including a narrow miss of an Olympic medal as a 16-year-old.

Is Popovici’s official coronation just around the corner?

In the 200-meter freestyle at the World Championships, Popovici – now 17 – easily produced the fastest time of the preliminaries, his 1:45.18 a statement to the competition. The fourth-place finisher in the event at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Popovici looked powerful and smooth during his initial blast, splitting 50.95 at the 100-meter mark and coming home in 54.23.

Following Popovici in the second spot was fellow teenager Sunwoo Hwang of Korea, who also recorded a sub-1:46 effort for the morning. Like Popovici, Hwang was a finalist in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle in Tokyo and is also viewed as a future star. The Korean went through his opening swim in Budapest in 1:45.79.

Austrian Felix Aubock and Great Britain’s Tom Dean were both under 1:46 for their prelims swims, with Aubock notching a time of 1:45.84. Dean, the reigning Olympic gold medalist, went 1:45.99 and appears to be in tremendous form. On the opening day of the meet, Dean anchored the British 400 freestyle relay to fourth place with a split of 46.95.

American Drew Kibler was fifth in the morning, going 1:46.13, and was followed by Australia’s Elijah Winnington, who touched in 1:46.19. Winnington captured the gold medal in the 400 freestyle on Day One, using a closing flourish to pull away from Germany’s Lukas Martens. The German was seventh in qualifying for the 200 free, off a swim of 1:46.45.

Photo Courtesy:

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use