Two-time European champion at the distances of 100 and 200 meters freestyle David Popovici decided not to participate in the 2024 World Championships in Doha in order to prepare for the Olympic Games in Paris.

Davyd Popovichi will miss the 2024 WC in Doha

Swimmer David Popovici, a two-time European champion in the 100m and 200m freestyle, is actively preparing for the European Short Course Championships in Otopeni (December 5-10) but will not be at the 2024 World Championships in Doha, coach Adrian Redulescu said. (February 2-18) to focus on the Olympics in Paris.

“We train in Bucharest, both at Dynamo and at Lia Manoliu. Classes are starting at the university, and it’s good to be present as much as possible to keep up with the rhythm of student life. This week we will take part in a small competition in Switzerland where we want to see the current technical level. Then watch out for the National Short Course Championships from November 9-12 and the European Championships in December. It is possible to go to another competition, but we haven’t made a decision on this yet,” said Adrian Redulescu for Agerpres.

David Popovici, 19, has a silver medal (200m freestyle) and fourth place (100m freestyle) at the World Championships in Melbourne (2022) and a European title (200m freestyle) in Kazan (2021) in the short course.

Redulescu added that David Popovici set himself a “simple goal, as fast as possible and as high as possible (on the podium)” at the European short distance with Otopeni. The decision on the inspections in which he will start in Otopeni has not yet been made.

Regarding the setback at the World Championships in Fukuoka, where David Popovici failed to defend his world titles in the 100m and 200m freestyle, finishing only 6th and 4th respectively, Adrian Redulescu said that even better preparation is needed: “The bottom line is that we you need to prepare better. Last season was shorter, there were other priorities (meditations, bachelor’s degree).”

For the first time in an Olympic year, World Aquatics has scheduled the World Swimming Championships for February 2-18 in Doha, Qatar, five months before the Paris Games.

David Popovic will have two months to reach his peak form for this World Cup and Adrian Redulescu said his athlete will not go to Qatar to focus on the 2024 Olympics: “The decision is not to go to Doha. In principle, this is the final decision. We prioritize education.”

At the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, at the age of 16, David Popovich took fourth place in the 200 m freestyle and seventh place in the 100 m freestyle.

On Monday, David Popovici started classes at the Faculty of Psychology and Pedagogical Sciences of the University of Bucharest. The champion spoke at the opening ceremony of the new school year.