On a crisp Friday evening at Monaco’s iconic Stade Louis II, Dominican Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino delivered another masterclass in sprinting to extend her unbeaten 2026 season, clinching gold in the women’s 400-meter event and shattering the venue’s long-standing meeting record.
Paulino crossed the finish line in a blistering 48.67 seconds, knocking 0.30 seconds off the previous meeting mark of 48.97 seconds set by Bahamian Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo. The win marks Paulino’s second consecutive 400m title at the Monaco Diamond League, solidifying her dominance at one of track and field’s most prestigious annual stops.
American sprinter Aaliyah Butler put up a fierce fight, finishing just 0.17 seconds behind Paulino to take silver with a time of 48.84 seconds. Czech rising star Lurdes Gloria Manuel rounded out the top three, clocking 49.44 seconds to claim bronze.
This latest victory is just one in a string of record-breaking performances for the Nizao-born runner this season, further building on an already stellar campaign. Just weeks before her Monaco win, Paulino set another meeting record at the Paris Diamond League, clocking a personal season-best time of 48.48 seconds that signaled her outstanding form ahead of upcoming major championships.
Widely ranked as the top 400-meter sprinter in the world today, Paulino continues to cement her status as a modern legend of the event with every race on the international circuit. Her consistent record-breaking results this season have sent a clear warning to competitors, establishing her as the undeniable favorite heading into the year’s biggest global track and field competitions.