Dominica has the first women's gold medal in the world athletics tournament
With the best time since the beginning of the year is 48 seconds 98, Paulino is the current world number one 400m runner. She is automatically considered the strongest candidate in the final on August 23, when Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone - the American athlete who holds the 400m hurdles world record - is absent due to injury, while the champion of Tokyo 2021 and Rio 2016 Shaunae Miller-Uibo failed to qualify, four months after giving birth.
Reuters considers this to be the best opportunity for Dominica to be crowned, and she did not miss the opportunity. Paulino overcame Sada Williams - the final competitor - at the turn and finished first with a national record of 48 seconds 76. Paulino improved 0.22 seconds from the previous personal best and rose to the top. 11th on the list of the fastest female 400m runners in history.
Paulino became the first female Dominican runner to win an individual world title, and the second country's athlete to win the world title after Felix Sanchez, who won gold in the men's 400m hurdles at London 2012 and Athens 2004.
At Tokyo 2021, Paulino won the 400m silver medal and with Anabel Medina won the 4x400m mixed silver medal. As a result, Paulino and Medina became the first Dominican female runners to win an Olympic medal. Paulino personally became the first Dominican athlete to win more than one medal in an Olympics.
At Eugene 2022, Paulino won a 400m silver medal and a mixed 4x400m gold medal. The 26-year-old also won a 400m gold medal at the 2022 Ibero-American Championships and the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, sharing the national records in the 60m indoor, 200m indoor and outdoor and 400m distances.
"A lot of emotions are rushing through me," Paulino said after making history for Dominica at the world athletics tournament. "This national record means a lot. It's really amazing but I've been preparing for this for a long time, working hard to achieve a goal like this. The gold medal is a dream and I have it. enough talent to make it happen."
Behind Paulino was Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland with 49 seconds 57, while Sada Williams of Barbados took bronze with 49 seconds 60. Rhasidat Adeleke (50 seconds 13), Cynthia Bolingo, Lieke Klaver (50 seconds 33) respectively. , Candice McLeod (51 seconds 8) and Talitha Diggs (51 seconds 25).
