Florin Popescu

Florin Popescu (born August 30, 1974 in Iancu Jianu, Olt) is a Romanian flatwater canoer. He won two Olympic medals in the C-2 event at the 2000 Summer Olympics with his teammate Mitică Pricop. He won a total of seven world championship gold medals as well as seven European championship golds, making him the most successful Romanian paddler of modern times.

Injury forced Popescu to retire at the end of the 2005 season after winning his seventh world title (C4 500m) at the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia.

Popescu is 183 cm (6'0") tall and raced at 79 kg (174 lbs). He lists his interests as football, motor racing and handball. He was voted Romanian Sportsman of the Year in 1993.

World Championship Gold Medals

* 2005 C4 500m Zagreb, Croatia 1:30.602
* 2003 C2 1000m Gainesville, USA 3:34.932
* 2003 C4 500m Gainesville, USA 1:32.022 †
* 2002 C4 500m Seville, Spain 1:34.758
* 2001 C4 500m Poznań, Poland 1:35.810
* 1997 C4 1000m Dartmouth, Canada 3:17.203
* C4 1000 m 1995 Duisburg, Germany 3:22.960

† (Finished second but awarded gold medal after a member of the Russian crew tested positive)