Sara Curtis secured a historic victory at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, capturing the gold medal in the women’s 50-meter backstroke while setting a new world record of 26.56 seconds, according to reports from AGI and La Gazzetta dello Sport. The 19-year-old Italian sprinter lowered the global benchmark twice in less than 24 hours at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, eclipsing the previous mark of 26.86 seconds set by Australia’s Kaylee McKeown in Budapest almost three years prior.
A Record-Breaking 24 Hours in Paris
The path to gold unfolded rapidly for the Piedmontese speedster. During the semifinal heats in Paris, Curtis clocked 26.63 seconds to break McKeown’s long-standing world record. Less than a day later, in the event’s final, she shaved another seven centimes off that time to touch the wall in 26.56 seconds. According to race analysis provided by AGI, the decisive surge came in the final 15 meters, where Curtis unleashed an overwhelming burst of speed to leave the rest of the field behind.
French swimmer Mary-Ambre Moluh took the silver medal with a time of 27.06 seconds, while Great Britain’s Lauren Cox claimed bronze in 27.15 seconds, as detailed by La Gazzetta dello Sport. Curtis entered the final as the youngest of the eight competitors at 19 years old, standing 179 centimeters tall, and competing under the dual affiliation of the Italian Army (Esercito) and Centro Sportivo Roero.
Historic Milestone for Italian Swimming
The triumph marks a significant milestone for the Italian swimming federation. Prior to Curtis’s gold-medal swim, Italy had never won a continental title in the women’s 50-meter backstroke at the European Championships. Historical event statistics compiled by AGI and La Gazzetta dello Sport show that the nation’s previous best finishes in the event included silver medals by Silvia Scalia in Rome (2022) and Arianna Barbieri in Debrecen (2012), alongside a bronze by Alessandra Cappa in Madrid (2004).
This achievement carries added long-term significance. The 50-meter backstroke will make its official debut as an Olympic medal event at the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games. With her performance in Paris, Italy secures a reigning European champion and world record holder at the forefront of the discipline.
Emotional Reactions and Family Support
Following her victory, Curtis described the whirlwind 23 hours and ten minutes as an unreal experience. “Sono veramente contenta, è stata dura gestire le emozioni di ieri e ho fatto fatica ad addormentarmi, ho cercato di tenere tutto da parte e oggi di giocarmela accelerando alla fine,” Curtis remarked in post-race comments reported by AGI. “Ci sono riuscita di nuovo ed è venuta un’altra follia.”
Up in the stands of the Olympic Aquatics Centre, her parents—mother Helen and father Vincenzo—celebrated the win enthusiastically, with her mother captured dancing and cheering by media outlets. “Se potessi porterei i miei genitori con me sul podio, senza di loro tutto questo non sarebbe possibile, non vedo l’ora di abbracciarli,” Curtis told reporters, reflecting on the support system that accompanied her career transition, which includes training under Thomas Maggiora in Italy and Todd DeSorbo at the Virginia University.
A Busy Championship Campaign
For the young athlete from Savigliano, near Cuneo, the gold in the 50-meter backstroke adds to an already extensive medal tally at the current European championships. Earlier in the meet, Curtis collected a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle and a silver medal as part of Italy’s women’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. Having made her senior international debut at the Paris Olympic Games two years prior in the same facility, Curtis continues her progression as one of Europe’s most versatile and explosive short-course and long-course sprinters.
