2025 COPA INTERNACIONAL
- Friday, February 21st – Sunday, February 23rd
- Veracruz, Mexico
- LCM (50m)
- SwimSwam Preview
- Results: Meet Mobile – 2a Coupa Internacional Veracruz
The 2025 Copa Internacional concluded last night from Veracruz, Mexico with several notable Americans and Canadians taking to the long course pool. On the whole, the performances were well off the elite stars’ bests, indicating this was seen as an in-season training exercise and early 2025 tune-up rather than an intense competition.
25-year-old Michael Andrew was among the competitors with the Olympian putting his relatively new training home of Tempe, Arizona to the test.
In this early in-season competition, Andrew topped the men’s 100m breast podium in a modest 1:03.66 and doubled up with the top spot in the 50m back in 25.97.
Andrew also raced the 100m back where he logged 59.13 for bronze as well as the 50m breast where he struck gold in 27.96.
As an exhibition swimmer in the 50m free, Andrew punched a result of 23.93 as the 3rd-quickest competitor behind Santiago Blanco of Mexico and fellow American Grant House.
Blanco beat the field with a time of 23.48 while 26-year-old House was a hair behind in 23.59.
On the women’s side, 27-year-old Sydney Pickrem of Canada made her presence known, capturing victories in both the 50m breast (32.55) and 100m breast (1:11.48).
Racing against her countrywoman Taylor Ruck, Pickrem settled for runner-up in the 50m free in 26.59 to Ruck’s slightly quicker 26.50.
Ruck also got it done for gold in the 50m back (29.77), 100m back (1:04.41) and 50m fly (27.40).
KeyResults – Fastest Times per Swimmer
- Michael Andrew (USA) – 50m free (23.51), 50m back (25.97), 100m back (59.13), 50m breast (27.96), 100m breast (1:03.66), 100m fly (54.44)
- Chase Kalisz (USA) – 100m breast (1:04.63), 100m fly (54.97), 200m fly (2:00.03)
- Jack Dolan (USA) – 50m free (23.12), 100m free (51.06), 50m back (26.50), 100m back (56.70)
- Grant House (USA) – 50m free (23.59), 100m free (49.81), 200m free (1:53.42), 50m back (27.28), 50m fly (24.58), 100m fly (57.24)
- Jack Dahlgren (USA) – 100m free (51.45), 200m free (1:51.03), 100m fly (54.37), 200m fly (2:00.82)
- Leonardo De Deus (BRA) – 50m back (27.22), 100m back (58.82), 100m fly (56.90)
- Sydney Pickrem (CAN) – 50m free (26.43), 50m breast (32.55), 100m breast (1:11.48)
- Taylor Ruck (CAN) – 50m free (26.22), 100m free (56.43), 50m back (29.70), 100m back (1:04.41), 50m fly (27.40)
- Penny Oleksiak (CAN) – was entered but wound up not swimming
Michael Andrew + Grant House = Swimswam readers’ favorite couple.
You just had to, huh?
Its too early to make anything of this, just a rep under the belt
garbage, garbage, GARBAGE!
Cringe cringe nothing ever changes CRINGE
Part of me thinks we should allow Michael Andrew a year to account for the adjustment to a new training environment. However, he’s not getting any younger and running out of time.
I still wish he went to train with UVA as his events seemed like a hybrid of Kate Douglass/Gretchen Walsh. On the other hand I understand the lack of success on the men’s side being a detracting factor.
Michael Andrew probably goes down as one of the biggest what-ifs. I’m still rooting for him to figure it out as I would for any swimmer.
We’ve become very accustomed to fast in season swimming but it wasn’t that long ago that people like Phelps and Lochte put up some pretty darn slow performances (by their standards) often in season
It was one thing when he was doing Einstein’s definition of insanity after Tokyo – but he made the change us couch commentators wanted to see there’s no reason to ridicule him at all
Dressel also swam slow in season
I remember when Phelps swam that 2:00 200 FL in early 2015 and people called him washed.
MA starting to look like the Paul George of USA Swimming
I hope this is along the process of him developing a base but man, I was hoping for atleast a 22. 50 free
Damn! 😂
I feel like there’s a major difference between heavy training and swimming 2.5 seconds slower than your PB in a 50. I know I could get on the blocks at any time mid-practice and hit that, and the 50 FR was my event. Rooting for his return but that’s concerning.
The 50 FR was swam in skins with 3 minutes rest. This report is only the first skin which was the only one reported in MeetMobile. GH finished first, 23.55 in the last skin, MA 2nd, Jorge Iga 3rd
Oh dear, oh dear!!!!
Were they hungover? Hope they weren’t wearing tech suits! Those times are dreadful!
Your name says it – “Truth”
I heard it is a terrible pool. They are probably in heavy training too. Can’t read into these times much.
What’s the point in Oleksiak even signing up for meets anymore if she’s proven repeatedly that she’s not going to swim in them unless it’s a trials or championship meet?
Because it’s easier to drop out if you decide not to do it then sign up late.
Shes just throwing away money at entry fees at this point.
I dont think she is paying them herself probably her sports agent.
Or the meet organizers waive is the more likely story!