Home UVA Swimming: Sophomore Sara Curtis sets new world record in 50M Backstroke
UVA Olympic Sports

UVA Swimming: Sophomore Sara Curtis sets new world record in 50M Backstroke

sara curtis uva swimming
Sara Curtis. Photo: UVA Athletics

UVA Swimming sophomore Sara Curtis set a new world record in the 50m Backstroke on Wednesday at the 2026 European Swimming Championships in Paris.

Curtis clocked a 26.63 in the semifinals of the 50m Backstroke, breaking the previous record of 26.86 that was set in 2003 by Kaylee McKeown of Australia.

Curtis, who competed for Italy in the 2024 Summer Olympics, had a previous best time in the 50M Backstroke of 27.07.

Curtis is the first Black swimmer (male or female) to hold an individual long course meters swimming world record.

University of Virginia swimmers now hold 18 current world records.

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].

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