WITH WORLD CHAMPION Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone out for the season on a maternity break, the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino has regained her position as the world’s dominant quartermiler. In Budapest, she capped off a perfect season with an up-from-last 49.07 victory.
Since that legendary loss to McLaughlin-Levrone in Tokyo last summer, Paulino has not tasted defeat in any race — final or prelim — at any distance (she even had victories in the 4 x 400, 200 and 800). Of her nine 400 finals this season, this was only the second in which the Olympic champ did not dip under 49 seconds. She might have done it here, if not for raised arms a few meters from the line.
She won the usual way — with her unmatched strength down the homestretch. At 200 she was in last (23.93), letting Netherlands’ Lieke Klaver (23.36) and Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser (23.44) storm off at a foolhardy pace.
Klaver still led at 300 (35.73), but she and Naser (now in 3rd behind European champ Henriette Jæger of Norway) had to face the consequences of their brashness. In lane 7, Paulino had a perfect view of them both, in lanes 5 and 6.
She began patiently picking off her victims.
Naser, completely spent, was first to fall. Then Jæger, to Paulino’s outside. With about 50 left, Paulino was inevitable. She blew past Klaver with her powerful arm drive, pulling Jæger (49.28) and Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce (49.56) with her. Klaver (49.91) barely held on for 4th, while 2019 World champ Naser faded to last in 50.22.
“This is what I came here for and I achieved my goal of winning the Ultimate Championship,” said Paulino. “I still have some work to do on the first part of my race, but I’m not quite finished with my season — I’ll be racing at the Athlos event in London, which is one last opportunity to run sub-49.”
UC WOMEN’S 400 RESULTS
(September 12)
1. Marileidy Paulino (DR) 49.07
(12.45, 11.48 [23.93], 11.97 [35.83], 13.17) (25.14)
2. Henriette Jæger (Nor) 49.28
(12.22, 11.42 [23.64], 12.19 [35.83], 13.45) (23.64/25.64
3. Nickisha Pryce (Jam) 49.56
(12.16, 11.54 [23.70], 12.20 [35.90], 13.66) (23.70/25.86)
4. Lieke Klaver (Neth) 49.91
(12.00, 11.26 [23.26], 12.47 [35.93], 14.18) (23.26/26.65)
5. Martina Weil (Chl) 50.00
(12.21, 11.60 [23.81], 12.33 [36.14], 13.86) (23.81/26.19)
6. Aaliyah Butler (US) 50.12
(12.16, 11.45 [23.61], 12.27 [35.88], 14.24) (23.61/26.51)
7. Roxana Gómez (Cub) 50.21
(12.44, 11.45 [23.89], 12.33 [36.22], 13.99) (23.89/26.32)
8. Salwa Eid Naser (Bhr) 50.22
(12.06, 11.38 [23.44], 12.43 [35.87] 14.35) (23.44/26.78)
Heats (September 11)
I–1. Paulino 49.58; 2. Eid Naser 49.67; 3. Pryce 49.72; 4. Gómez 50.34; 5. Yemi Mary John (GB) 50.38; 6. Ella Onojuvwevwo (Ngr) 50.50; 7. Sharlene Mawdsley (Ire) 51.28; 8. Alexis Holmes (US) 51.60.
II–1. Jæger 49.64; 2. Klaver 49.76; 3. Butler 49.82; 4. Weil 50.32; 5. Natalia Bukowiecka (Pol) 50.40; 6. Stacey-Ann Williams (Jam) 50.43; 7. Lurdes Gloria Manuel (CzR) 50.52; 8. Mercy Oketch (Ken) 52.94.
