See all of our 2025 Swammy Awards here.
Mexico’s Celia Pulido earns the Swammy for the Central American/Caribbean Female Swimmer of the Year following a year that saw her break four Mexican National Records, qualify for an ‘A’ final at NCAAs from a mid-major program, and represent her country at the World Aquatics Championships.
Kicking off her 2025 campaign, Pulidio won a trio of individual Missouri Valley Conference Championship titles as a senior at Southern Illinois University. She won both the women’s 100 backstroke (51.74) and 200 back (1:54.78) as well as a lifetime best time in the 100 butterfly (52.25). She also notched her fastest 50 back time, leading off the 200 medley relay in 23.69.
Pulido made her way to the Women’s NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships, where, the year prior, she became Southern Illinois’ first NCAA Championship finalist in 39 years, placing 7th in the 100 back. In 2025, Pulido crushed her previous best time in prelims of the 100 back, lowering her time from 50.70 to 49.84. In finals, she dropped her fastest-ever mid-major mark to a blistering 49.77, finishing 4th overall and earning first-team All-American honors. Pulido later contested the 200 back as well, clocking 1:52.82, placing 22nd overall.
Following NCAAs, Pulido then raced at the Selectivos a Eventos Internacionales (LCM) in April, looking to qualify for World Championships later in the summer. Pulido went on to win the 100 freestyle in 56.22 and the 50 back in 28.50. She wound up 2nd in the 100 back (1:00.65) to Miranda Grana, who went on to break the Mexican Record in the event (1:00.02).
Months later, Pulido would represent her home country, Mexico, at the World Aquatics Championships (LCM) in Singapore. Her best finish came in the 50 backstroke, where she tied for 16th in prelims in 27.97, setting a new National Record, but was outpaced in the swim-off and missed the semis. She also competed in the 50 fly, finishing 22nd overall and setting another Mexican Record with a time of 26.40.
Pulido’s long course action did not stop in Singapore; she then went on to compete at the Junior Pan American Games a week later. She claimed the win in the 100 back in 1:00.82, just off of her swim from April. Although she did not win, Pulido destroyed her best time in the 200 back, shaving three and a half seconds from her previous top time of 2:14.90 to finish 2nd in 2:11.67, less than a second off the national record of 2:10.75 from Fernanda Gonzalez in 2012.
Pulido wrapped up her 2025 season on the first stop of the World Cup series in Carmel (SCM). While back in the U.S., Pulido swam to four short-course bests, including the 50 back (25.83), 100 back (56.21), 200 back (2:07.50), and 50 free (25.31). The 50 back and 100 back each also marked new national standards. Her top finish came in the 50 back, where she touched 4th. She also finished 5th overall in the 100 backstroke.
Honorable Mentions:
- Zuri Ferguson (Trinidad & Tobago): Ferguson’s four national records (50 and 200 backstrokes, both SCM and LCM) were significant marks in Ferguson’s season. She picked up four long-course Caribbean titles back in April, winning the 50 back (29.18), 100 back (1:02.48), 200 back (2:14.53), and 200 IM (2:25.95). She also competed in all three backstroke events in Singapore, with her top finish coming in the 200 back, where she touched 35th overall (2:18.89). Ferguson is now at the halfway point through her freshman season at the University of Florida.
- Miranda Grana (Mexico): Grana and Pulido’s 2025 resumes look incredibly similar. Grana even finished just ahead of Pulido at NCAAs in the 100 back(49.62), and ultimately snagged that 100 backstroke national record in April. The significant difference came in World Championship placing, with Grana finishing 20th in the 100 back, 26th in the 200 back, and 30th in the 100 fly. Either of these can make a case for this award, but the advantage of World Championships placement and the additional Junior Panamerican success leans toward Pulida.
Previous Winners:
- 2024 — Kristen Romano, Puerto Rico
- 2023 — Kristen Romano, Puerto Rico
- 2022 — Maria Mata Cocco, Mexico
- 2021 — Joanna Evans, Bahamas
- 2020 — Alia Atkinson, Jamaica
- 2019 –Alia Atkinson, Jamaica
- 2018 – Alia Atkinson, Jamaica
- 2017 – Lili Ibanez, Mexico
- 2016 – Alia Atkinson, Jamaica
- 2015 – Alia Atkinson, Jamaica
- 2014 – Alia Atkinson, Jamaica
