Italian teenager Curtis breaks 50m backstroke world record at Europeans

Sara Curtis, a 19-year-old Italian teenager, shattered the women's 50m backstroke world record at the European championships in Paris on Wednesday. She swam a remarkable 26.63 seconds, outpacing the previous record set by Australia's Kaylee McKeown by 0.23 seconds. Curtis had also won bronze in the women's 100m freestyle on Tuesday, making her a strong contender for the 50m backstroke final on Thursday.

This victory adds to the short-course European record she set in Poland last year. Swimming coach Analia Pigree praised Curtis for her masterful performance, stating that it was impressive considering she was competing against some of the best backstrokers in the world.