Sara Curtis, another record-breaking day at the Riccione Absolute
It’s truly unstoppable Sara Curtis’s march at the Spring Absolute Swimming Championships being held in Riccione, Italy, at the Swimming Stadium on Via Monte Rosa. In fact, the Savigliano-born 18-year-old broke the Italian record again in the 50 freestyle: after setting a new record already in the battery with a time of 24″52, Curtis further updated the record in the final, finishing in 24″43.
The class of 2006 athlete had already made a name for herself on Tuesday, surpassing Federica Pellegrini’s historic national record in the 100 freestyle, which had held out since 2016, improving it by as much as 17 hundredths (53″18 the previous record, 53″01 the new record). On Wednesday, the double record, confirming an exceptional state of form.
Completing the podium in the 50 style, behind Sara Curtis were Costanza Cocconcelli, with a time of 24″98, and Silvia Di Pietro, who finished her event in 25″25. Curtis also won, at the 2025 Spring Absolute, the 100 backstroke, with a personal best of 27″90, and the 4×100 with the Army team, along with Sofia Morini, Emma Virginia Menicucci and Giulia Verona, with an overall time of 3’38″87 and a personal best split of 53″72.
In this edition of the spring Absolute Championships, Sara Curtis also won a bronze medal, in the 4×100-mesh relay, with the Army team that also included Francesca Fangio, Antonella Crispino and Emma Virginia Menicucci. In addition to the 50 and 100 freestyle records in the Olympic pool, Sara Curtis also holds two national records in the short pool, in the 50 style (23″77) and 50 backstroke (26″03).
