Italy's Sara Curtis breaks 50m backstroke world record at European championships in Paris

World record in the semifinal

Italian teenager Sara Curtis set a new world record in the women's 50-meter backstroke on Wednesday, clocking 26.63 seconds in the semifinal at the European Aquatics Championships in Paris. The 19-year-old lowered the previous mark of 26.86, set by Australia's Kaylee McKeown at a World Cup meet in Budapest on October 20, 2023, by 0.23 seconds. Curtis, born in the Piedmontese town of Savigliano to an Italian father and a Nigerian mother, advanced to Thursday's final with the fastest qualifying time.

The semifinal swim marked Curtis's first major long-course (50-meter pool) performance at this level. She is a six-time European junior champion and won three golds, including in the 50 backstroke, at the European short-course championships last year. She also holds the short-course European record in the event, set in Poland. In June, Curtis clocked 27.07 seconds, tied for the ninth-best time ever for the race. She took bronze in the 100m freestyle on Tuesday at these championships.

"The dream of my entire life"

Curtis told Italy's RAI she was overwhelmed by the achievement.

I don't know what to say, I'm lost for words, it's crazy, it's the dream of my entire life. I came here and I felt good. After the underwater swim I told myself I'll push until the last stroke, and now it doesn't seem real.

She added that she was speechless and would see what happens in the final. Two French swimmers, Mary-Ambre Moluh and Analia Pigrée, will also compete in Thursday's final.

Sjostrom and Popovici headline Wednesday's other finals

Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom won the 50m butterfly in 25.05 seconds, claiming her sixth European title in the event and her 18th continental title overall. The 33-year-old, who gave birth to her first child a year ago, now has 99 international medals since debuting at age 14 at the European championships in Rome. She finished ahead of Belgium's Roos Vanotterdijk (25.12) and fellow Swede Sara Junevik (25.51).

Romania's David Popovici secured his third consecutive European 100m freestyle title with a championship record of 46.56, the third-fastest time in history and 0.16 seconds off Pan Zhanle's world record. Russian Egor Kornev, competing with neutral status, took silver in 46.74, the fifth-fastest time ever. Hungary's Kristof Milak was third.

More golds on the night

Germany's 19-year-old Johannes Liebmann won the men's 800m freestyle in a continental record of 7:37.59, finishing more than three and a half seconds ahead of compatriot Sven Schwarz. Hungary's Zalan Sarkany took bronze. Reigning Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen of Ireland finished fourth.

Hungary's Hubert Kos added the European 200m backstroke gold to his Olympic and world titles, winning in 1:53.08. The 23-year-old from Budapest set a new European record in Tuesday's semifinal. Kos won the Olympic title in Paris two years ago and world titles in 2023 and 2025 but had never won the continental trophy.

Britain's Angharad Evans claimed her first European title in the women's 100m breaststroke with a championship record of 1:04.87, continuing her form after two golds at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Looking ahead

The 50-meter backstroke final on Thursday will be Curtis's next test. The 50-meter sprint events, including backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke, will make their Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The Pan-Pacific Championships, featuring the United States, Canada and Australia, began Wednesday in Irvine, California. The next World Aquatics Championships are scheduled for July 2027.