Virginia freshman Sara Curtis set a new Italian national record in the 50-meter backstroke at the 2026 Italian National Swimming Championships, which began April 14 in Riccione, Italy.
The event is a qualifying meet for the upcoming European Championships scheduled for August in Paris. Swimmers from across Italy are competing to secure their spots on the national team.
Curtis started her campaign by recording the fastest time in qualifying heats with a mark of 27.51 seconds. In the final, she surpassed her own performance and broke the existing Italian record with a time of 27.33 seconds. The previous record of 27.39 seconds was set by Silvia Scalia in 2022.
The championships will continue through Saturday, giving athletes more opportunities to qualify for international competition later this year.
