2026 Italian Swimming Championships

• Tuesday, April 14th – Saturday, April 18th
• Prelims at 10am local (4am ET)/Finals at 6pm local (Noon ET) *Friday finals start at 5:15pm local (11:15am ET)
• Riccione, Italy
• LCM (50m)
• 2026 European Championship Selection Criteria
• Entry List
• SwimSwam Italia Preview
• Live Results
• Livestream
• Recaps
  • Prelims: Day 1 | Day 2
  • Finals: Day 1 | Day 2

Women’s 50 Back – Final

• World Record – 26.86, Kaylee McKeown (AUS), 2023
• European Record – 27.10, Kira Toussaint (NED), 2021
• ITA Record – 27.39, Silvia Scalia, 2021
• European Championships Qualifying Time – 27.90

Top 8:

1. Sara Curtis – 27.33 *New Italian Record*
2. Federica Toma– 28.20
3. Francesca Pasquino – 28.32
4. Francesca Romana Furfaro – 28.50
5. Chiara Lamanna – 28.52
6. Martina Biasioli – 28.75
7. Greta Rossi – 28.87
8. Martina Zanet – 28.99

For the 2nd consecutive day, an Italian 50 backstroke record has fallen at the Italian Swimming Championships in Riccione, as this time, in the women’s 50 back, Sara Curtis, the current Virginia Cavalier, downed the more than four-year-old mark that was previously held by Silvia Scalia in 27.39 to win the Italian national title in 27.33.

This time marks a major time drop for her in the event, having entered this meet with a best time in the 50 back of 27.94 from the European Junior Championships in July of 2024, then lowering that to 27.51 in the prelims, where she initially flirted with that Italian Record.

That swim now slots her in as the 3rd fastest performer in the world in this season, only trailing American backstrokers Katharine Berkoff (27.24) and Isabelle Stadden (27.29), both of which were swum at the 2026 Pro Series in Westmont last month.

That 27.33 also ties her with Olivia Smoliga as the 24th fastest performer in the history of the event.

Curtis is coming off of an impressive showing at the Women’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships last month, where she finished 2nd in the 50 free (20.74), 3rd in the 100 free (45.77), and swam a career best time inthe short-course yards 50 back and 100 back leading off both the 200 medley and 400 medley relays (22.73 and 45.77, respectively).