Italy's swimming elite delivered a powerful message to continental rivals this week at the Settecolli Trophy in Rome. Teenager Sara Curtis shattered the European record in the 50-meter backstroke, securing her place as one of the continent's fastest sprinters ahead of the Paris European Championships starting July 31.
Why This Matters
• European record falls: Curtis clocked 27.07 seconds, erasing the previous continental mark and posting a time that ranks among the fastest in world history.
• Final qualification window: The Rome meet runs through June 28 and represents the last chance for Italian swimmers to punch their tickets to Paris.
• National depth on display: Italy secured podium sweeps in multiple events, with the De Tullio brothers leading a 1-2-3 finish in the men's 400m freestyle.
Curtis Navigates Disqualification, Then Delivers History
The 18-year-old swimmer was initially disqualified in Thursday's morning heats for exceeding the 15-meter underwater limit following her start—a violation that would have ended her day before it began. Her coaching staff filed an immediate appeal with the event's technical committee, arguing the measurement was marginal. The appeal succeeded, reinstating Curtis to the evening final.
What followed was a performance that rendered the morning setback irrelevant. Curtis touched the wall in 27.07, obliterating Dutch swimmer Kira Toussaint's previous European standard of 27.10 and improving her own Italian record by more than a tenth of a second. The time ranks as the 2nd-fastest globally this season and places her among an elite group of women to ever achieve this performance level in the event.
Fellow Italian Costanza Cocconcelli finished second in 27.87, a result that also secured her qualification for the Paris Europeans, scheduled for July 31 through August 16. Chiara Lamanna rounded out the podium in third.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who attended the session as a spectator, descended poolside after the race to present Curtis with her medal alongside Paolo Barelli, president of the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN) and undersecretary for parliamentary relations in Meloni's government. The ceremony underscored the political and cultural weight Italy places on aquatic sports success heading into a continental championship on French soil.
What This Means for Italy's European Campaign
The Settecolli Trophy serves a dual function for Italian swimmers: It is both a competitive showcase and the final qualifying gate for Paris. The FIN has set stringent selection criteria, prioritizing national champions from April's Italian Absolute Championships in Riccione, then opening additional roster spots to athletes who hit prescribed time standards either at that meet or during Settecolli finals.
With Curtis now holding the fastest 50m backstroke time in Europe this year, her focus shifts to consistency and race execution. She told Italian media after the final that she intends to push the record even lower in Paris, where the stakes will include individual medals and potential relay contributions.
Beyond Curtis, Italy demonstrated formidable depth across multiple events Thursday. Marco De Tullio led an all-Italian podium in the men's 400m freestyle, clocking 3:45.10 ahead of Alessandro Ragaini (3:46.96) and his brother Luca De Tullio (3:47.39). The sweep signals that Italy's middle-distance program remains robust despite the shadow cast by distance legend Gregorio Paltrinieri, who is expected to focus on open-water events at the Europeans.
In the women's 100m breaststroke, Benedetta Pilato claimed victory with a time of 1:05.85, outpacing Ireland's Mona McSharry and fellow Italian Lisa Angiolini. Pilato, who has battled inconsistency over the past year, described the result as confirmation she is "on the right path" with her coaching staff. Her European qualification was already secure, but the confidence boost heading into Paris could prove just as valuable.
Simone Cerasuolo topped the men's 50m breaststroke in 26.63, while Nicolò Martinenghi—the reigning Olympic champion in the 100m breaststroke—advanced comfortably to the final alongside Ludovico Blu Art Viberti, who posted the fastest Italian time in the heats.
Distance Star Quadarella Logs Season-Leading Mark
While sprint events grabbed headlines, Simona Quadarella quietly delivered one of the meet's most significant performances in the women's 1500m freestyle. Her time of 15:46.19 set a new Settecolli record, claimed the fastest European mark of 2026, and ranks as the 3rd-best time worldwide this year. Quadarella, a two-time world champion in the event, is using the Rome meet to fine-tune her pacing strategy ahead of Paris, where she will face renewed challenges from emerging Eastern European talent.
Mixed Results for Italian Stars
Not every Italian headliner found form on opening day. Thomas Ceccon, the world record holder in the 100m backstroke, struggled in the 100m butterfly heats, finishing in 53.60—well off his personal best and insufficient to reach the A final. Alberto Razzetti and Michele Busa will carry Italian hopes in that event's final instead.
Ceccon, who has entered four events at Settecolli (100m free, 50m back, 100m back, and 100m fly), has publicly acknowledged he is still searching for peak form. His season-best 100m backstroke of 53.16 ranks him 9th globally, a surprising position for the reigning world record holder. He has indicated that incorporating the 200m backstroke into his training regimen has provided fresh motivation, but whether that translates to podium finishes in Paris remains uncertain.
International Field Provides Benchmarks
The Settecolli Trophy attracted a strong international contingent, offering Italian swimmers valuable pre-European competition. American sprint sensation Gretchen Walsh set a new U.S. record in the women's 50m butterfly with 24.51, the 2nd-fastest time in history and a new meet standard. Hungarian star Kristof Milak won the men's 100m butterfly in 50.47, while Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey dominated the women's 200m freestyle in 1:55.00. Greek swimmer Apostolos Christou took the men's 50m backstroke in 24.40.
These performances provide Italy's coaching staff with real-time data on where their athletes stand relative to continental competition. With two days of racing still ahead, additional qualifications and confidence-building swims are expected before the meet concludes Sunday.
Next Steps
The Paris European Championships will run from July 31 through August 16, with pool events scheduled for August 1–7 or August 10–16, depending on discipline. Open-water races are set for August 4–8, with Paltrinieri and Ginevra Taddeucci already named to that squad.
Italy's final European roster will be announced shortly after Settecolli concludes, with the technical staff retaining discretionary selection power to fill remaining spots—particularly for relay legs. Athletes who reach time standards during this weekend's finals will automatically claim up to three spots per event, including those already qualified.
For Curtis, Pilato, Quadarella, and the De Tullio brothers, the path forward is clear: Maintain health, refine race plans, and arrive in Paris ready to challenge for continental supremacy. For Ceccon and other Italian stars still seeking form, the next 48 hours represent a final proving ground.
