David Popovici, former European and world champion, won the 200 m freestyle event at the Mare Nostrum meeting in Barcelona, Wednesday evening, with a time of 1 min 44 sec 74/100, a new competition record.
David Popovich. PHOTO: The Truth Archive
In the final, Popovici beat the South Korean Sunwoo Hwang, 1 min 45 sec 68/100, and the Japanese Katsuhiro Matsumoto, 1 min 46 sec 09/100.
The Romanian swimmer qualified for the final with only the fifth time of the series, 1 min 48 sec 16/100, the fastest being Hwang, 1 min 47 sec 31/100.
The former record of the Mare Nostrum circuit at 200 m free belonged to the German Paul Biedermann, 1 min 44 sec 88/100, from June 13, 2005 (established in Monaco).
In Barcelona, Daria-Măriuca Silişteanu finished 14th in 50 m backstroke (sixth place in Final B), with 29 sec 44/100. In the series, Silişteanu was 16th (29 sec 66/100).
In the 50 m freestyle, Patrick-Sebastian Dinu was 47th in the series (23 sec 45/100).
