David Popovici has stunned the swimming world by winning 11 gold medals in recent months and setting a new world record in the 100m freestyle. Luca Gabrilo, coach of Robert Glinzi, spoke in the podcast about the technique of the 18-year-old swimmer and about the successful performances of his student Adrian Redulescu.

Body shape, technique, mentality and coaching are David Popovich’s most important assets

As coordinator of the Philippine swimming team, Gabrilo also coaches other athletes such as Kayla Sanchez, Barbora Simanova and Erik Persson.

After talking about his great relationship with Glinz, the Swiss also spoke to Swimswam about the strengths of David Popovich.

“We know nothing about the interaction with water, and this was demonstrated again when a 17-year-old boy named David Popovich came along and turned all the theories on their head. With his unique way of swimming, his body shape, he broke everything.

There are things we have no control over in our interactions with water. That’s why I base my training method on hand count, time, and lactic acid measurement.

David has two things that not everyone has access to: the first is his coach Adrian. He is a quiet, down-to-earth guy. I love him, we are good friends. What is important is that they do not make a big deal out of what they have achieved.

I had a discussion with David and I told him: “Listen to Adrian and leave others around you telling you certain things, Adrian will take you far!”. The shape of his body, not human, but dolphin, rises above the wave when he swims” – Luka Gabrilo.

David Popovich will destroy everything we know about swimming

Impressed after first meeting David Popovici, Gabrielo discussed with his mother, a former Olympic champion, the Romanian’s potential to become the greatest swimmer in history.

“And the mentality helps him. I spoke to a lot of swimmers, I was with Ian Thorpe, but the day I spoke to David Popovich, I went home and spoke to my mum, who is an Olympic champion and still follows the sport.

I said, “Mom, get ready, this boy is going to destroy everything we know about swimming!” I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but I think we’re at the beginning of some exciting things in swimming.

When he flexes his arm, his body immediately rises to the surface. why Because it has three polyurethane suits, but one is natural, and it’s incredible. It’s amazing how he manages to control it all, even when he steps out of the pool he has a different pose.

I’m a yoga fanatic and can pick up on certain things. What he and Adrian do is something unique, and I had the opportunity to see it up close. It’s inspiring” – Luka Gabrilo.

David Popovici, two-time European and world champion in the summer of 2022

David Popovici won two gold medals at the European Swimming Championships in Rome, our athlete was unstoppable in the 100m freestyle and also in the 200m freestyle.

We will remind you that in June of this year, David Popovichi did a double at the World Swimming Championships in Budapest, he managed to prove himself at distances of 100 and 200 m free swimming.

During the entire World Swimming Championships, only one athlete managed to win the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle events from the same edition.

It happened 49 years ago, and the person celebrating this feat is called Jim Montgomery (USA – he is now 67 years old). That year, the competition was hosted by Belgrade.