Italian teen Curtis breaks women's 50m backstroke world record for second time

Italian teenager Sara Curtis broke the women's 50m backstroke world record for the second time in as many days at the European swimming championships in Paris on Thursday.

The 19-year-old clocked 26.56sec on her way to gold in the final, a day after lowering the mark with 26.63 in the semi-final to better Australian Kaylee McKeown's mark from three years ago by 0.23sec.

France's Mary-Ambre Moluh took silver in 27.06 and Britain's Lauren Cox bronze, 0.59sec off the pace.

Curtis adds the world record to the short-course European record she set in the event in Poland last year.

It was also her second medal of the championships after she took bronze in the women's 100m freestyle on Tuesday.

"I'm absolutely delighted. It's hard to come to terms with the emotions of yesterday's record," Curtis told Rai.

"I struggled to get to sleep last night. I really did try to pick up the pace over the last 15 metres. It's unbelievable. I'm so happy. A dream, a huge goal."

With both records coming either side of the total solar eclipse on Wednesday, Curtis joked to Sky Sports that she would get the natural phenomenon "tattooed on me" to honour the moment.

"I've already given myself my 20th birthday present. I hope I can treat myself to more, but world records are the best present I could ever have given myself," added the Savigliano native, who will celebrate her birthday next week.

Earlier, Olympic champion Kristof Milak set a new European record in the men's 100m butterfly final.

Hungary's Milak clocked 49.48sec to snatch gold ahead of world champion Maxime Grousset of France.

Grousset had been leading after the first length but was caught in the final 25 metres finishing in 49.70sec. Swiss Noe Ponti took bronze in 49.93.

Milak then showcased his class as he anchored Hungary to gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay in a championship record time of 3min 10.03sec.

The 26-year-old's 46.29sec leg catapulted Hungary to the top of the podium ahead of neutral athletes from Russia in second and Croatia in third.

British 18-year-old Filip Nowacki pipped Netherlands' Caspar Corbeau to the 200m breaststroke title by 0.08sec.

The Commonwealth Games champion took gold in a time of 2min 7.70sec, with Corbeau in the silver-medal spot and Austrian Luka Mladenovic rounding off the podium.

Barbora Seemanova saw off Marrit Steenbergen to secure 200m free gold in a championship record 1min 54.38sec.

It was the Czech swimmer's career third European gold medal in the event.

Dutchwoman Steenbergen took silver at 0.27sec, while Britain's Freya Colbert claimed the bronze.