Tokyo, Japan. Olympic and world champion Marileidy Paulino started her participation in the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships with a firm step by winning her qualifying round of the 400-meter dash, with a time of 49.85 seconds, which secured her classification to the semifinals of the specialty.
Paulino dominated her heat from start to finish, showing physical strength and tactical control. In the final stretch, she accelerated with power to leave behind the British Amber Anning (49.96s) and Bassant Hemida (50.36s), who finished in second and third place respectively.
With this performance, the Don Gregorio sprinter reaffirms her status as the favorite to revalidate the world title she won in Budapest 2023 and continue adding achievements to her brilliant international career.
The women’s 400-meter semi-final is scheduled for this Tuesday, September 16th at 6:20 a.m. (Dominican time). Paulino will start as one of the main contenders for gold, thanks to her consistency and her best season mark, 48.18 seconds, which places her among the fastest in the world along with strong rivals such as Sydney McLaughlin and Salwa Eid Naser, also qualified for the next round.
The Dominican athlete, Olympic champion in Paris 2024, continues to demonstrate that she is the undisputed queen of the 400-meter flat race, keeping alive her country’s illusion for another historic day in world athletics.
Paulino dominated her heat from start to finish, showing physical strength and tactical control. In the final stretch, she accelerated with power to leave behind the British Amber Anning (49.96s) and Bassant Hemida (50.36s), who finished in second and third place respectively.
With this performance, the Don Gregorio sprinter reaffirms her status as the favorite to revalidate the world title she won in Budapest 2023 and continue adding achievements to her brilliant international career.
