Popovici After The Bronze: “I Hope We Offer The Crowd A Good Show” (Euros Quotes Day 6)

2023 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• December 5-10, 2023
• Otopeni Olympic Swimming Complex, Bucharest, Romania
• Short Course Meters (25 meters)
• Prelims 2:30am (ET), Finals 11am (ET)
• Entries Book
• Live Results (Omega)
• Live Results (Microplus Timing)
• Eurovision Sport Livestream

The last night of competitions in Otopeni for the European Championship was all about the Italian team. Italy took six golds, two silvers and one bronze. It was also the night of the bronze medal of the crowd’s idol David Popovici in the 100 meters freestyle won by Maxime Grousset of France. Here are the quotes from the final day of the SC European Championships 2023

BERNHARD REITSHAMMER (AUT)

Gold medalist in the 100 IM in a time of 51.39

I didn’t expect this result. It’s half a second, PB. It felt really good, but I didn’t have that many expectations going into the race, so I’m even more happy now. 

Of course I expected Thomas Ceccon to swim in the final he was the man called to win this event. But I didn’t expect to be first. So it was like, okay, now the chicken is gone; maybe there might be a medal. But I never expected it to be first. 

NICOLO MARTINENGHI (ITA)

Gold medalist in the 50 breaststroke in a time of 25.66

I’m happy, I really am, even though I didn’t show that much after the race. The only goal was the win. I wasn’t looking for a time or a big performance but I was focused on touching first. I made a lot of mistakes but I’m happy because I showed once more my character. 

BENEDETTA PILATO (ITA)

Gold medalist in the 50 breaststroke in a time of 28.86, beating her own Championships Record

I’m happy, especially with the time. I swam two times 28 in two days so it means I’m on the right way. Even yesterday, it was 28.98, but when you see the 8 after the 2, it is different. The win was important but I was also looking for the time. 

ALBERTO RAZZETTI (ITA)

Gold medalist in the 400 IM in a time of 3:57.01 and a new Championships Record

I definitely wanted to try to win. Today I knew that probably in the 400 I was even stronger than in the 200. Maybe I didn’t expect to be this fast. I could see that I could be with Duncan after fly and backstroke. I tried to struggle as little as possible; then I knew that everything was about breaststroke. Scott has a nice freestyle leg, but so do I. My goal was to try to stay with him until the freestyle, and it worked.

DAVID POPOVICI (ROU)

Bronze medalist in the 100 freestyle in a time 46.05

“It was lovely swimming with the home crowd here. And I’m glad I also got a medal. I hope we offer them a good show. 

To swim the final of the 200 and the semi of the 100, it wasn’t easy, but, it wasn’t only me who got to go through that. The ones who did 200 had also to endure the same, weird schedule. But, thankfully at other competitions, the schedule doesn’t overlap like this. But I don’t want to complain too much about it because it’s been helpful in the sense that it was a great challenge and yesterday I was beat down and I slept like a baby. So thank you, organizers, because you arranged me a very good night’s sleep.”