Italian teenager Sara Curtis breaks Kaylee McKeown 50m backstroke world record

In short:

Italy's Sara Curtis, 19, has broken the women's 50m backstroke world record, previously held by Australian Kaylee McKeown.

Curtis set the new mark at 26.63 seconds in the semifinals of the European championships.

McKeown, a five-time Olympic champion, is recovering from glandular fever that forced her out of the Commonwealth Games and this week's Pan Pacific Championships.