2025 EUROPEAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- December 2-7, 2025
- Lublin, Poland
- SCM (25 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Recaps:
The final day of action at the 2025 European Short Course Championships kicked off with the fast and furious final of the women’s 50m backstroke.
19-year-old Sara Curtis made her presence known big-time, throwing down a new European Record and Championship Record time of 25.49 to get to the wall first and grab the gold.
The University of Virginia athlete touched less than half a second ahead of French swimmer Analia Pigree, the 2022 European LC Championships gold medalist. Pigree settled for silver this evening in 25.96, just off her national record of 25.94 from the 2024 Short Course World Championships.
Only .01 behind her in this contest was Maaike de Waard of the Netherlands, who captured bronze in 25.97.
As for Curtis, the teen’s time of 25.49 overtook the former European Record of 25.64 that on-fire Dutch Olympian Marrit Steenbergen established just this morning. 25-year-old Steenbergen clocked that as lead-off on her nation’s medley relay during the prelims.
Entering this competition, Curtis’ lifetime best in this 50m back rested at the 26.03 notched during the semi-finals at last year’s Short Course World Championships. There in Budapest, the Italian ultimately finished in 6th place with a slower time of 26.26.
Curtis lowered that former achievement down to 25.97 in the heats before crushing her gold medal-worthy result tonight for a new Italian national record.
Curtis will dive back into the water later on this session, racing in the final of the women’s 50m freestyle. She’s already earned 100m freestyle bronze and was a member of her nation’s World Record-breaking mixed medley relay in addition to earning silver in the women’s 4x50m free relay.
Although she finished off the podium in 4th place, 24-year-old Lauren Cox clocked a time of 26.03 to break the British national record in the 50m back.
The previous GBR standard stood at the 26.13 Georgia Davies put on the books during the 2018 World Cup.
Interesting that Sara can travel to Poland for over a week but Maximus can’t go to Austin Tx. Does UVA have different M/F exam weeks
No all majors and classes are at the exact same times. It’s a wonder isn’t it?!
Different athletes have different levels of comfort traveling and competing this close to exams. It’s a personal choice especially for first years at an academically rigorous school like UVA.
I would say that the European Championships are a way more important meet than the US Open.
Perhaps. Many non-Americans have stared LCM should be prioritized over everything else I agree more with you.
I think they mean LCM actual achievements. Euros are an international competition. US Open is domestic nationals. No one thinks a domestic LCM is more important than an international level SCM meet.
This is classic Williamson behavior. Transfer portal incoming
DeSorbo, in his recent interview on Social Kick, which was recorded prior to the U.S. Open, said only two current student athletes were attending the U.S. Open (Jack Aikins and David King) as the rest didn’t want to miss class. He didn’t talk about Euros, but only two athletes were there as well (Curtis and Davin Lindholm). I don’t get the criticism of any athlete from any school being criticized for attending class at the end of the semester just before finals instead of attending a relatively unimportant meet. Criticizing performance I get. It’s part of the deal when you compete on a high level team or when you are as prominent recruit as Williamson. If you’re criticizing a student… Read more »
So why was he on the heat sheet?? It’s not like finals came out of nowhere.
He did this at Trials and another time at the meet he had “mono”…
EXACTLY! I’ll be the last person to criticize a student for choosing to go to class. But I didn’t put the UVA athletes on the psych sheet. The fans didn’t sign them up.
Why try to bring new fans to the sport when you no show the events you advertise your intent to participate
Yeah man, Maximus not swimming the US Open is definitely causing USA Swimming to lose fans. #clowncomment
Never said Maximus by himself. It’s a trend from a lot of the swimmers across the board.
#clowncommentator
This whole comment block is literally about Maximus. Don’t try to go “now its athletes across the board”.
I don’t see why you care that a college freshman changed his mind about competing at an untapered, non-ncaa, non-championship, early December meet a week before finals. I would understand if its a Pro, but this is just weird.
#clowncomment
#Lbozo
#ratio
Yes, it’s about Maximus but he’s not by himself with this issue. Wish him well in the future
#clownman
Yes.
He wasn’t on the heat sheet. He was on the pre-scratch psych sheet. It’s called “pre-scratch” for a reason as a number of swimmers on the pre-scratch psych sheet scratched before racing. Fans may not love that it happens, but would the meet rather that no one signs up until the last possible minute or allow for scratches for athletes who reconsider after signing up, for whatever reason?
The first day of the meet had the top seeds scratch from both 1500s. Kate Hurst, the women’s top seed, trains at Texas! Yet a Virginia swimmer failing to travel to Austin is a problem?
I’d agree with you if this was the first time.
He was on the pre-scratch psych sheet, not the heat sheet. Learn the difference. #clowncomment
Know the difference between a one off no show vs a repeat offender. #hashtagsareoldboomer
You are trying to compare this to Trials thinking they are the “same”. He actually went to trials and competed versus not even appearing on the heat sheet. Learn the difference.
Maybe your fingers hurt because you spend all day writing clown comments on the internet. Take a break
#clowncomment.
How about not hijacking every story with your own unrelated take? Really does a disservice to SS readers. So tired and exaggerated.
Fantastic!
The University of Virginia should be in great shape for the women’s 4 x 50 yard medley relay barring a disaster from E. Weber (the ultimate enigma) on the breaststroke leg.
Curtis – Weber – Curzan – Greenwaldt
The University of Virginia needs to save A. Moesch for the women’s 4 x 200 yard freestyle relay.
As for the women’s 4 x 100 yard medley relay, S. Curtis needs to keep improving in the 100 yard backstroke (not exactly Curzan-esque).
not surprising, she’s like 22.8 in SCY
Perhaps time-wise no, but her adapting so quickly, traveling and still doing so well is impressive.
Curious to see how fast she can get in SCY, looks like she will be the backstroker for UVAs medleys. Wonder if she can get close to GWs 50 record and perhaps a 49 in the 100?
I am surprised at how fast she’s gotten in short course in general so quickly
Amazing swims and so nice prior to ACCs and NCAAs.
swam a triple last nite, and another triple tonite.
can she better her 22.71 free relay split from early in the meet?