Athletics is one of the sports that have more attention among people that attend the Pan American Games. In each edition of the multisport event of the Americas all families get together to watch the speed, strength, precision competitions, among others.
Great athletics representatives will attend Santiago 2023, and one of them is Marileidy Paulino, an outstanding 26 year old athlete from Dominican Republic, who is a specialist in 400 meters. She recently visited Chile and took the chance to talk with the Organization behind the event.
In this discipline she was crowned as silver medalist during Tokyo 2020 in both categories: individual and mixed relays. Her achievement in the personal test let her become the first woman of her country to stand on an Olympic podium twice in the same Games.
Marileidy had an amazing 2022 achieving the best times of her career. “It was a very good year, the last one I finished running 400 meters in 49.92 seconds, but during 2022 I reached 48.99 seconds, the best mark of my career. I consider it was something amazing and it gave me the confidence to believe that something big is coming,” she commented.
The double Olympic medalist has wishes for 2023 that transcend her trophies. Her biggest goal for this season is to improve her times, because she wants to be part of worldwide athletics history.
In line with the above, Paulino indicated that “my projection for this year is focusing more on time. I want to achieve 47 seconds, if God allows me. This is my goal, the one that I can take out of my head. Only three women have achieved 47 seconds, so it would be historic if I could accomplish this too, considering also that I’m Dominican.”
However, Paulino also has her focus on the Pan American Games, the most important competition in 2023 for her. “The medal is clearly part of my objectives because I don’t have Pan American medals; but my biggest goal is achieving 47 seconds. I hope God gives me enough health to have a great participation… but not just to me, but also to all Dominicans that will compete. The truth is that we have our attitude at 100%, so I do believe we will have great results.”
Marileidy with his silver medal of the Athletics World Cup Oregon 2022. (Picture from: Olympics.com).
FROM SPRINT RACES TO 400 METERS
Marileidy Paulino started practicing athletics in 2016 and took her first steps in the court running the 100 and 200 meters tests. However, her coach, Yaseen Pérez, realized that Paulino wasn’t developing all her potential, so he proposed to her to try the 400 meters.
“I took this decision along with my coach. We talked about this because in the 100 and 200 meters I had a slow start. Of course at that time I didn’t have as great a technique as I have now. That’s why I reached 200 meters in 22,80 seconds. Practicing 400 meters I’ve achieved 22,36 seconds running the 200 meters. I’ve improved my times, and from time to time I participate in the 200 meters,” indicated the Dominican athlete.
In addition, Paulino highlighted the changes that she has had to carry out in her daily physical preparation, eventually giving a higher priority to long distances over sprints.
“In a training session I can be requested to run 16 times the 200 meters, on the other hand, while I was training 100 and 200 meters I would have to repeat this eight times. The gym training has not changed much, I have maintained my weight since then. Regarding my diet, that depends on me and my coach; I’m my own nutritionist, so I read a lot about that,” emphasized the woman who in her country already has the 200 mts, 400mts, 4x400 mts, and 4x400 mixed mts records.
THE GREAT PRESENT OF DOMINICAN ATHLETICS
The track tests had gradually become a guarantee of success for the Dominican Republic. From the 12 medals achieved through her 15 years participating in the Olympic Games, five of them are related to athletics, including the first gold in the history of her country, won by Félix Sánchez in 400 meters with hurdle during Athens 2004.
In this sense, the athletes’ level of achievements from this Caribbean Island has been increasing over the last decade. For example, their participation during Tokyo 2020 has been the most successful Olympic experience for that country, where they won five medals: two of them in athletics, both by Marileidy. In this sense, she has been playing an important role in the improvement of athletics, even when she is not the protagonist.
“Athletics in the Dominican Republic are currently in their best moment because there are a lot of Olympic medals, World Championships and mixed relays. There are a lot of athletes that are improving. We used to see only one person at the Diamond League, the most important athletic world circuit, but now there are four or five and this will keep improving,” indicated the bronze medalist during the 2021 World Athletics Relay Championship, in 4x400 mixed meters.
Marileidy Paulino during his visit to Chile. (Picture from: Santiago 2023).
THE BIGGEST MULTISPORT FESTIVAL OF THE AMERICAS
The magic this kind of sport events such as Santiago 2023 have is the mix of countries, cultures, and customs that are present during the weeks the competitions are developed. This is why the 26 year old athlete took the chance to show a little resume about her country, which she defends with a lot of pride.
“This is a wonderful country, it has very beautiful things and a lot of talent in sports such as: baseball, volleyball, athletics, weightlifting, and in all areas to be sincere. We’re machines and we have the ‘banana power’ as we usually say. It has great beaches, the gastronomy is excellent, and I do consider we do have the best seasoning (laughs).”
In addition, Marileidy also pointed out the value of the support the Domincans received from their compatriots, something she believes is going to happen during Santiago 2023. “It does not matter where we are, the Dominican always supports me. I remember when I was in France and Switzerland and they were there to support me.”
To finish, the athlete called for everybody to be part of this event and attend the diverse competitions that will be carried out, in both the Pan American and Parapan American Games. Paulino indicated that “I would invite everybody to support the Santiago 2023 Games, and to know the athletes from the different countries. These will be such important Games, something extraordinary that you don’t see everyday, mostly here, in Chile.”
COMMUNICATIONS SANTIAGO 2023
Mail: comunicaciones@
Instagram: @
Instagram Mascot: @fiusantiago2023
Twitter: @santiago2023
Facebook: /Santiago2023oficial
Youtube: @Santiago2023oficial
TikTok: @Santiago2023oficial
