pˈoʊpəz fˈɜːst ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl tˈaɪɾəl kˈeɪm ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd æz ɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə ɹoʊmˈeɪniə kɹˈuː ðæt wˈʌn ðə sˈiː fˈoːɹ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈɛm ænd sˈiː fˈoːɹ fˈaɪvhˈʌndɹɪd ˈɛm ɡˈoʊld mˈɛdəl æt ðə jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən ˌʌndɚ twˈɛnti θɹˈiː tʃˈæmpiənʃˌɪp ɪn buːlˈoʊn, fɹˈæns.
Popa's first international title came in 2000 as a member of the Romania crew that won the C-4 1000m and C-4 500 m  gold medal at the European under-23 championship in Boulogne, France.