PARIS – Virginia sophomore Sara Curtis closed out competition at the 2026 European Swimming Championships on Sunday (August 16) at the Centre Aquatique Olympique Métropole du Grand Paris in Paris, France.
Curtis set two individual Italian records on Sunday's final day of competition while swimming the leadoff leg of the 4x100m Medley Relay. Curtis started the day by breaking the national mark in the 100m Back with a split of 58.75. Her time broke the mark set in 2019 by Margherita Panziera.
Curtis then broke her own record in the finals with a 58.43.
These were her first times breaking the 60-second mark. Her previous best was 1:00.35 in April at the 2026 Italian National Championships.
The Italian relay finished second, getting outtouched at the wall by Great Britain, while setting an Italian record with a time of 3:53.60.
The silver in the 4x100 Medley Relay was Curtis' sixth medal of the championship.
Curtis leaves Paris having set two world records with five individual and three relay Italian records.
On Thursday (Aug. 13), Curtis won gold in the 50m Backstroke, touching the wall in a world-record time of 26.56. Curtis had initially set the world record in the event during her semifinal swim, posting a 26.63.
Curtis finished third in the 50m Free, breaking the 24-second barrier for the first time in her career, touching in 23.99 to set the Italian record in that event. The mark betters her previous Italian record time of 24.09, set in June at the Setticolli meet in Rome.
She also took the bronze in the 100m Free (52.72).
In addition to the 4x100 Medley silver, she also won silver in the 4x100m Free Relay and bronze in the Mixed 4x100m Free Relay. All three relays broke Italian records.
Curtis was one of four Cavaliers competing at the championship. Sophomore Lana Pudar made the finals of the 200m Fly, finishing 7th with a time of 2:11.14, while representing Bosnia and Herzegovina. Sophomore Nina Jazy represented Germany and sophomore Davin Lindholm represented Finland.
Sara Curtis 2026 European Championships Medal Count (6)
Gold (1): 50m Back
Silver (2): 4x100m Medley Relay, 4x100m Free Relay
Bronze (3): 50m Free, 100m Free, Mixed 4x100m Free Relay
Sara Curtis Records at 2026 European Championships
World Records (2): 50m Back (twice)
Individual Italian Records (5): 50m Back (twice), 100m Back (twice), 50m Free
Italian Relay Records (3): 4x100m Free, 4x100m Medley, Mixed 4x100m Medley