Marileidy Paulino etched her name into the history books on Friday, August 9, 2024, after becoming the first woman from the Dominican Republic to claim an Olympic gold medal in any sport . The 27-year-old sprinter delivered a breathtaking performance in the women's 400 meters, blazing around the track to win in a remarkable 48.17 seconds.
This achievement secured her place among the elite in track and field and set a new Olympic record, surpassing the previous mark of 48.25 seconds held by France's Marie-José Pérec. Paulino's dominance was evident from the second curve, where she surged ahead of her competitors and maintained her lead down the final straightaway.
Her performance solidified her status as the reigning World Champion at this distance and positioned her as the fifth-fastest woman ever in the 400 meters. This victory adds to Paulino's already impressive Olympic resume. She previously earned silver medals in the 400-meter and the mixed 4x400-meter relay at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.
With this latest triumph, Paulino has now brought the Dominican Republic's total medal count in Olympic history to three , making her an icon in the nation and a source of immense pride. The race also saw Bahrain's Salwa Eid Naser , who many consider Paulino's biggest threat. Naser claimed the silver medal with a season-best time of 48.
53 seconds. Naser, who stayed close to Paulino through the second curve, put herself in a strong position for a medal as she powered down the last.