Intesa Sanpaolo is proud to support Sara Curtis in her competitive career, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting a culture of sporting excellence.

In swimming, the only judge is the stopwatch. Every fraction of a second can change the outcome of a race; every turn can decide a final. In this world of precision and speed, Sara Curtis has managed, in just a few years, to establish herself as a leading figure on the Italian scene and an emerging talent on the global stage.

In this interview with Giovane Tony, Sara Curtis discusses her background and the values and motivations that have shaped her journey. Amidst everyday life and new challenges, the profile of a determined athlete begins to emerge – one who faces expectations and changes with self-awareness, whilst continuing to pursue her goals both in and out of the water.

Born in Savigliano in 2006, she swiftly transformed her youthful talent into tangible results. A natural sprinter, particularly effective in freestyle but also competitive in backstroke, she has developed her career through steady progress that has taken her to the very top of Italian swimming at a very young age.

Her talent was evident even in the youth ranks. Sara has won five world medals and fifteen European medals in her age group, results that demonstrate not only her technical ability but also her strong competitive spirit. Since moving up to the senior ranks, this attitude has become even more evident, particularly in relay races, where her competitive spirit comes to the fore. She proved it once again at the 2026 Italian National Championships in Riccione, playing a key role in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay victory and adding another significant milestone to a career already brimming with successes. 

In 2024, she broke two Italian records for the very first time. But it was 2025 that marked her true breakthrough, as she set Italian records for the 50-metre and 100-metre freestyle. The latter record had previously been held by Federica Pellegrini and had represented a symbolic benchmark for Italian swimming for many years. The same year, Sara Curtis also broke the national records for the 50m freestyle in both short-course and long-course pools, the 100m freestyle in both formats, and the 50m backstroke, thus cementing her reputation as an all-round sprinter and hinting at further potential for future improvement.

At the 2026 Italian National Championships in Riccione, Sara once again demonstrated her continued progress. After helping the Italian Army Sports Club to victory in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, she won the Italian title in the 50m backstroke, setting a new national record of 27.33, beating Silvia Scalia’s previous record of 27.39, in a distance that will feature in the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028. To round off a week in which she took centre stage, she also secured victories in the 100m and 50m freestyle; in the latter event, held in the morning, she further improved her Italian record to 24.29, before claiming victory in the final that same afternoon. To round off her Italian championship campaign, she also clinched the 50m butterfly title with a time of 25.89. 

Just weeks later, at the 62nd Settecolli Trophy in Rome, Sara proved her rank among the world’s elite swimmers. She took gold in the 50m backstroke, setting a new European and Italian record of 27.07 – the fifth-fastest time in history. Then, in the 100m freestyle, she became the first Italian woman to break the 53-second barrier, clocking 52.69 and further improving her national record in a final won in world-record time by Dutch champion Marrit Steenbergen. She capped off an incredible event by bagging bronze in the 50m freestyle, setting yet another Italian record of 24.09 in a world-class race, won by her teammate Gretchen Walsh with a new world record, ahead of Swedish legend Sarah Sjöström, returning to competition after having a baby.

And her list of honours continues to grow: nineteen Italian titles and nine European medals bear witness to a constantly evolving career, now firmly on course to secure a permanent place among the world’s elite swimmers, as she prepares to take that final leap forward.

Sara Curtis currently trains and studies at the University of Virginia, one of the most competitive university swimming programmes in the world. She is following in the footsteps of champions such as the Walsh sisters and Claire Curzan and the daily exposure to a highly competitive environment represents a crucial step in her sporting development.

The daughter of an Italian father and a Nigerian mother, Sara is comfortable with her dual cultural heritage, which she sees as a personal asset. In her interviews, he often addresses the issue of multiculturalism with balance and responsibility, setting a positive example for many young people by managing to maintain a constructive perspective even when the issue risks being oversimplified or exploited.

And from now on, her career will be supported by a partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo. The Group sees sport as an effective way of engaging with the younger generation and supporting emerging talent. Alongside Sara Curtis, Intesa Sanpaolo is reaffirming its commitment to promoting excellence and the development of Italian sport.