"Nobody touches my hair but me. I've finally made peace with it. I used to hate it, whereas now I love it in its natural form". Sara Curtis made the remarks in an interview with the Corriere della Sera, reflecting on the personal growth she has experienced over the past year. Asked whether she had abandoned her trademark braids, Curtis replied: "I love them and I'll definitely wear them again. But I realised they were a way of hiding something I'd never fully appreciated. Watching the biopic Michael, seeing him as a child with the Jackson 5, I found myself thinking: why should I hide my beautiful Afro hair?" The past year has been a transformative one for the young swimmer. She left her hometown of Savigliano, in the province of Cuneo, to attend university in the United States, where she became the fastest freshman in NCAA history. At the end of June, she set a new European record in the 50m backstroke and also lowered the Italian records in both the 50m and 100m freestyle. "Over the last year I've completely changed the way I approach both sport and life," she said. "I've increased the intensity of my training and the results have followed. Academically, though, it has been extremely demanding, with some really stressful moments". Curtis is expected to be among the leading medal contenders at the European Championships in Paris, scheduled for 10–16 August, where she will compete in both backstroke and freestyle events. "At European level I'm now one of the swimmers to beat, and I'm proud to be able to say that because it's a sign of how much I've grown. I always seem to produce a little bit extra when I'm under pressure. I also have great confidence in our relay teams. The women's 4x100m freestyle relay is becoming incredibly competitive”. She added: "I don't dwell on things anymore. If I wasn't happy with a training session or a race, I'd carry that frustration around with me for days. I've managed to get rid of all those negative thoughts that weigh you down". Her philosophy is equally clear: "I believe discipline will always beat talent. Talent without hard work eventually counts for nothing”. On 2 June, during Italy's Republic Day celebrations, Curtis was among ten young Italians invited to the Quirinale Palace for a discussion with President Sergio Mattarella. "We spoke about multiculturalism and second-generation athletes. The President looked me straight in the eyes while I was speaking—it was such an honour to have his full attention. Listening to the other young people, each brilliant in their own field, was incredibly inspiring".