Sports Flash

At the 16th FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Melbourne, the Romanian swimmer David Popovici came out 4th in the 100m freestyle final with 45.64, a new world junior record. First came the Australian athlete Kyle Chalmers. David Popovici is the defending 100m freestyle world champion and holder of the world record in this event.

In men's basketball, on Wednesday in Riga, Latvia, the Romanian side U-BT Cluj-Napoca was defeated by the Ukrainian team Prometey Slobozhanske 105-82, in the EuroCup Group A. After 8 games, the Romanian champions are ranking 8th, with 6 points. In the FIBA Europe Cup, CSM Oradea beat the German side Bamberg on home turf, 82 - 80, in the first match in Group L. In Group I of the same competition, SCM Craiova was defeated at home by FC Porto, 83-73. Also worth noting is that the women's team Baschet Club Arad ended its participation in the EuroCup with a defeat. The Romanian team was defeated in Poland by Arka Gdynia 87-53 and ranked last in the group D of the competition.

Arcada Galaţi qualified in the play-offs of the CEV Cup in men's volleyball, after beating the Finnish side Savo Volley Kuopio 3-1, on Wednesday at home, in the second leg of the round of 16. The Romanian champions had already won in Finland, 3-1. In the play-off, Arcada will be facing the Italian side Piacenza, which in the round of 16 defeated Fenerbahce Istanbul, 3-1 in both legs.

In women's volleyball, on Wednesday, in the first leg of the round of 32 of the CEV Cup, CSO Voluntari lost in Poland to Budowlani Lodz, 3-0. In the Challenge Cup, also in the round of 32, the first leg,  CSM Lugoj lost a dramatic match away from home to PTT Ankara, 3-2.

On Wednesday, in a game counting towards round 20 of the Romanian football SuperLeague, Rapid București beat Petrolul Ploiești on the National Arena in Bucharest, 3-1. Two of Rapid's goals were scored by the Croatian player Marko Duganzic, and one by Ștefan Pănoiu, in overtime. Gheorghe Grozav scored for the Ploiesti side. Top of the ranking at present is Farul Constanța, with 44 points, followed by CFR, with 41 points. (AMP)