Sara Curtis breaks 50m backstroke world record twice in two days

Italian swimmer Sara Curtis set a world record in the women's 50-meter backstroke Thursday at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, finishing in 26.56 seconds to claim the continental gold medal. The 19-year-old's time marked the second time in two days she broke the world record in the event.

Curtis swam the final at the Paris Aquatics Centre, where she improved on her own mark of 26.63 seconds set Wednesday in the semifinals. Her Thursday time lowered the previous world record of 26.86 seconds, held by Australia's Kaylee McKeown since October 2023.

France's Mary-Ambre Moluh finished second with 27.06 seconds, while Britain's Lauren Cox took bronze in 27.15 seconds. The Netherlands' Marrit Steenbergen placed fourth at 27.16 seconds, one hundredth of a second behind the bronze medalist.

Curtis, who competes collegiately at Virginia University under coach Todd DeSorbo, improved her time by seven hundredths of a second between the semifinal and final. In less than two months, she has lowered her personal best by half a second, having set a European record of 27.07 on June 26.

The 19-year-old is the first Black swimmer to hold an individual long-course world record. At the Virginia campus in March, she won four NCAA relay titles. Individually, she was an All-American in the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter freestyle.

Curtis' gold medal in the 50-meter backstroke adds to her medal haul at the Paris championships. She previously won bronze in the 100-meter freestyle and silver in the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay. The 50-meter backstroke will be an Olympic event for the first time at the 2028 Games.

At the Paris Aquatics Centre, Curtis accelerated decisively in the final 15 meters of Thursday's race. After a normal start, she separated from her competitors at the 25-meter mark and maintained her lead through the finish.