CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Representing her home country of Italy at the 2026 European Swimming Championships in Paris on Wednesday, UVA swim & dive’s Sara Curtis set a world record time of 26.62 in the 50m backstroke to win her semifinal heat.
Before Wednesday, the sophomore’s best time in the event was 27.07, and the world record was held by Kaylee McKeown of Australia at 26.86. There also had not been a black swimmer, male or female, to hold an individual world record in long course swimming since Cullen Jones set his mark as part of USA Swimming’s 4×100 freestyle relay team at the 2006 Summer Olympics.
The UVA standout also became the first Italian woman to reach the podium in the 100m freestyle at the European Championships.
Curtis finished the day competing in the 4×100 freestyle relay. Team Italy took second place in that race.
