On a celebratory night in front of thousands of cheering local fans at Santo Domingo’s Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino delivered a legendary final leg to carry the Dominican Republic to its first-ever mixed 4×400-meter relay gold medal at the 2026 XXV Central American and Caribbean Games. Paulino’s blistering closing run not only secured the top spot on the podium but also set a new regional record of 3:10.57, marking one of the most iconic achievements of this year’s event.
The Dominican quartet, made up of opening sprinter Erick Sánchez, second leg runner Anabel Medina, third leg competitor Christopher Melenciano, and anchor Paulino, put on a masterclass of teamwork and speed that left the home crowd roaring. When the race began, Sánchez held his own against a stacked field of elite sprinters from across the region, setting a solid foundation for his teammates before passing the baton to Medina. Medina extended the team’s position, and Melenciano’s strong third leg saw the Dominican team hand off to Paulino in second place, just a few meters behind the race leaders.
With the entire stadium on its feet, Paulino unleashed one of her signature powerful closing sprints, eating into the lead gap with every step before overtaking the front-runner in the final 100 meters. As she crossed the finish line, the Olympic champion raised her baton high in victory, triggering wild celebrations among the thousands of local fans packed into the stands. For Paulino, the win adds another landmark milestone to an already stellar career, while giving the Dominican Republic a crucial addition to its overall medal haul at the 2026 CAC Games hosted on home soil.