Sara Curtis Shatters Pellegrini’s Italian 100m Freestyle Report at 18
Riccione, Italy – April 15, 2025, 10:53 AM PDT – At simply 18, Italian swimming prodigy Sara Curtis surprised the swimming world by clocking 53.01 within the ladies’s 100-meter freestyle on the Italian Absolute Championships in Riccione, erasing Federica Pellegrini’s nationwide report of 53.18 set in 2016. The Savigliano native, already a rising star, not solely claimed the Italian title but additionally punched her ticket to the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, cementing her as Italy’s new dash queen.
Curtis’s race was a masterclass in velocity and composure. Splitting 25.62 on the 50-meter mark, she powered by means of the ultimate lap to edge out Pellegrini’s mark by 0.17 seconds, per Swimming World. “I’m speechless—it’s a dream,” Curtis informed Rai Sport, crediting coach Thomas Maggiora, who’s guided her since age six (Sky Sport). Her time, a private finest, leapfrogs her from 54.31 in 2024, when she broke Pellegrini’s cadet report, to Italy’s quickest ever (Swim4Life).
Pellegrini, an Olympic legend, held the report for 9 years, set on the Settecolli Trophy. Curtis, lengthy in comparison with her idol, has now surpassed expectations, with X customers buzzing: “She’s not simply following Federica—she’s rewriting historical past.” Her 53.01 ranks amongst 2025’s world elite, trailing solely stars like Mollie O’Callaghan (52.08, Australia). Posts on X hailed Curtis’s “fearless” swim, although some famous Pellegrini’s 200m dominance stays unmatched (Publish:0,2,4).
The victory caps a meteoric rise. Curtis, who debuted on the 2024 Paris Olympics at 17, nabbed 4 golds on the 2024 Italian Quick Course Championships, together with a 23.77 50m free report (Swimming World). Her 100m efficiency strengthens Italy’s 4x100m freestyle relay hopes, very important after a lackluster 2022 Worlds (SwimSwam). With commerce wars pushing gold to $3,200, Curtis’s golden swim presents Italy a brighter focus—a teen rewriting data and aiming for Singapore’s podium.
