Not all athletes can handle the hype and perform at the Olympics, but David Popovici did just that and won a stunning men’s 200m freestyle race. The Romanian swimmer kept pace with a talented line-up and touched the wall before Great Britain’s Matthew Richards. He posted a time of 1:44.72, just 0.02 seconds ahead of the silver medalist. Thus, the hype is real, and the swimmer aims for more glory. His coach likely comprehended this result long before, so it does not come as a surprise!

Since the 6’3″ swimmer burst onto the scene at the 2022 World Championships as a 17-year-old, fans understood that “Chlorine Daddy” is here to stay. Coaching him from a young age, we explore Popovici’s coach, Adrian Radulescu, who has supported him throughout the journey.

Although the Romanian swimmer initially had reservations about his swimming career, his parents enrolled him in swimming to address two issues: to tire him out and to combat early-stage scoliosis. With swimming becoming his passion, Radulescu began coaching him when he was 9. But what do we know about the esteemed coach?

Meet David Popovici’s coach, Adrian Radulescu

Radulescu is one of the top swimming coaches around. When he’s not coaching, he’s a University Lecturer at UNEFS (National University of Physical Education and Sports) Bucharest, where he has worked since February 2022 and holds a PhD. During the ‘Inside with Brett Hawke’ podcast, he mentioned balancing his coaching with his PhD studies. Additionally, Radulescu coaches at CS Dinamo București and leads both junior and senior teams at The Romanian Swimming Federation.

Moreover, he is a Talent Development Specialist at NAVI Sports Club, which is included in his impressive resume. According to his LinkedIn profile bio, he explained, “Focused and responsive coach with a demonstrated record of accomplishments in swimming. Goal-oriented with attention to detail and focus on driving continual improvements in sports science. Excellent program management and planning abilities. Adaptable and driven with a strong work ethic. Value-driven. Successful in creating a competitive training environment.”

That objective completely transformed the 19-year-old who soars high in the pool. Moving as smoothly as a dolphin underwater, the path to success had its challenges.

How did coach Adrian Radulescu propel Popovici to success?

The situation wasn’t straightforward when Radulescu began coaching Popovici at a young age. According to NBC Sports, Radulescu confirmed that Popovici faced several issues early in his career. Swimming didn’t come naturally to him; he frequently took toilet breaks, fiddled with his goggles, and often complained of feeling sick.

“He couldn’t do a push-up, others could do 100,” mentioned Radulescu, explaining the troubles the young swimmer endured. In a chat with ‘Inside with Brett Hawke’ interview, Radulescu mentioned how Michael Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman became the blueprint to teach David Popovici. He used his season planning templates and different lectures to get the best out of the Romanian swimmer.

In one particular part, Bob Bowman’s lecture on ‘Heroes’ drew his attention, and used some of it to train David Popovici. Bowman’s concept of ‘expected outcomes and unexpected circumstances’ greatly influenced Radulescu’s coaching approach with Popovici. Radulescu instilled in David the confidence to handle challenging situations during races, much like Bowman’s famous story of intentionally filling Phelps’ goggles with water to prepare him for unexpected race conditions.

When David was 14-16, Radulescu adopted the American model, which emphasized Individual Medleys (IMs). He noted that David swam the 400 IM at just 15, showcasing his talents on a big stage. Radulescu focused on foundational elements, such as setting sessions and multiple sets, while emphasizing techniques that aligned with David’s personality.

With all these training sets and sessions, these efforts have not gone in vain. More gold medals beckons for the ‘Chlorine Daddy’ who hopes to shake the Paris Olympics. Do you think he can win more?