Dominican Republic’s Paulino cruises through to Olympic women’s 400m semi-finals

PARIS : Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic opened her assault on the Olympic women’s 400 metres title, clocking the quickest time of Monday morning’s preliminary round in near-perfect conditions at Stade de France.

The reigning world champion and silver medallist in the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics crossed the finish line in 49.42 seconds to win her heat by more than a second.

Britain’s Amber Anning ran 49.68 for the second fastest time of the 16 runners who move onto Wednesday’s semi-finals, while 2019 world champion Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain was third quickest at 49.91.

Paulino, a lieutenant in the Dominican air force and a multi-medallist in the Dominican Republic Military Games, also led her nation to gold in the 4x400m mixed relay at the 2022 world championships, famously passing her idol Allyson Felix en route to victory.

Her 400m silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics was a first-ever individual athletics medal for a woman from the Dominican Republic, and she was also part of the silver medal-winning mixed relay in that Games.

The women’s 400m final is on Friday.