Thursday, November 2nd, 2023.- Marileidy Paulino arrived at the 200 meters final in Santiago as the clear favorite, not only because she had the best time in the semifinals but also due to her status as the top figure in athletics at these Pan American Games.

The Dominican is a world champion in the 400 meters and a double Olympic medalist in Tokyo 2020 in that distance and the 4x400 mixed relay.

In the 200 meters final, she clocked 22.74 seconds to claim the gold medal, her second victory in this continental event after winning the mixed 4x400.

However, Paulino had set her sights on breaking the Pan American record, which is held by Jamaican legend Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, who won at Lima 2019 with a time of 22.43 seconds.

"I want to break the Pan American Games 200 meters record and take the gold medal," she had stated before.

She came very close, just three-tenths away, although that doesn't diminish the merit of her spectacular race at the Estadio Nacional, where she pulled away from the pack with an explosive finish in the last 50 meters.

More than half a second behind the winner was the Cuban Yunisleidy De La Caridad García (23.33 seconds), while the third place went to the Brazilian Ana Carolina de Jesús (23.52 seconds).

Written by Felipe Hurtado H; translated by Rocio Rojas / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport
Photo by Alejandro Pagni / Santiago 2023 vía Photosport