{"id":163980,"date":"2025-12-02T11:05:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T11:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/163980\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T11:05:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T11:05:07","slug":"larger-than-life-in-romania-new-popovici-mural-pops-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/163980\/","title":{"rendered":"Larger than life in Romania, new Popovici mural pops up"},"content":{"rendered":"

Count David Popovici<\/a> of Romania as having reached that status \u2013 again. \u00a0A dramatic new mural has recently been completed on the side of a multi-story building in Timisoara, Romania, dedicated to the country\u2019s reigning World and Olympic champion swimmer. The mural conveys a powerful message: “Write your own story through sport,” inspired by courage and determination. On the wall of a multi-story building in Timisoara, Romania, a dramatic new mural has recently come to life, dedicated to the country\u2019s reigning World and Olympic champion swimmer. The mural carries a strong message: write your own story through sport, driven by courage and determination.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, David is not only a record-breaker in the pool, but also an outstanding athlete, a great competitor, and above all, a truly wonderful human being \u2764\ufe0f,\u201d wrote museum expert Tomasz Madej on his post displaying the Popovici art. \u201cThis mural proves that his impact goes far beyond the swimming lanes and continues to inspire people everywhere \ud83c\udf0d\ud83d\udd25.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Sweet Damage Crew is the artist group that completed the work, painting on the side of a hotel in Timisoara, Romania\u2019s leading economic, social and cultural centre in the western part of the country, along the Bega River.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the first time that the Sweet Damage Crew has immortalised the now 21-year-old in a much larger-than-life mural. The first time came in Popovici\u2019s hometown of Bucharest. That one was painted in 2023 at the busiest corner of the country\u2019s capital city, at 35 Stefan cel Mare Street, and included the message \u201cWrite your story through sports.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI try to take a different route when I have to cross the city; it embarrasses me to see my face that big,\u201d David quipped not long after the Bucharest mural went up. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Image Source: Clive Rose\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Popovici is coming off another strong swimming campaign in 2025, one where he won gold in both the men\u2019s 100m and 200m freestyle events at the World Aquatics Championships \u2013 Singapore 2025<\/a>. This achievement marks the second time he has accomplished this double, having first done so as a teenager at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Image Source: Hiroyuki Nakamura\/World Aquatics<\/p>\n

Since his impressive debut three years ago in the Hungarian capital, Popovici has achieved remarkable success. He has won four individual world championship titles and set a world record in the 100m freestyle, which China\u2019s Pan Zhanle<\/a> now holds. Additionally, he nearly broke the 200m freestyle all-time record set by Germany\u2019s Paul Biedermann<\/a> in 2009, during the “shiny suit” era of swimming. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games<\/a>, Popovici secured gold in the 200m freestyle and a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle<\/a>. His victory in the 200m was so magnificent that you could hang it in the Louvre.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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