Santo Domingo. – Dominican Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino officially opened her 400-meter dash season with a resounding victory at the Znamensky Brothers Memorial, held this Friday at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia.
Paulino conquered first place in the event after recording a time of 49.89 seconds, becoming one of the first athletes of the year to break the 50-second barrier and sending a clear message ahead of the major international commitments of 2026.
The double Olympic medalist showed absolute dominance of the competition after executing an intelligent and explosive race in the last 200 meters, a stretch in which she left the rest of the competitors behind with her characteristic devastating finish.
The performance of the sprinter born in Don Gregorio, Nizao, confirms the excellent physical condition with which she begins the international campaign and places her early among the main figures of world athletics this season.
Prior to this commitment, Paulino had participated in 200 and 800-meter preparatory races, used as part of her competitive conditioning process heading into the Diamond League and the upcoming Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.
The Dominican delegation also featured the participation of sprinters Fiordaliza Cofil and Anabel Medina, who saw action in the traditional athletic event held on Russian territory.
With this victory, Paulino begins a demanding competitive calendar that will serve as preparation to defend her status as a world leader in the 400 meters and seek new achievements in front of her home crowd in Santo Domingo 2026.
