Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Marileidy Paulino, Olympic 400m champion with a personal best of 47.98 seconds that ranks her third on the world all-time list, shared insights ahead of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest in 2026. She considers her top performances to be her 48.17 Olympic record in Paris 2024 and her 47.98 at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Paulino names Allyson Felix and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce as her main athlete inspirations and recalls her most memorable moment as catching up to Felix during the mixed 4x400m relay at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, a feat she hadn’t expected given the distance.
Her career goal is to become a legend and inspire young people in the Dominican Republic. Paulino enjoys Dominican cuisine, especially fried fish and mangú, values her family greatly, and prefers spending her nights at home resting.
Her favorite venue is the Stade de France in Paris, where she appreciates the Olympic crowd's energy. She picks Bahía de las Águilas in Pedernales, Dominican Republic, as her ideal holiday spot and follows the 2026 World Baseball Classic closely.
Paulino’s pre-competition song is "Spiritual" by Burna Boy, and her favorite movie is Swatt. She reveals a hidden talent for singing and enjoys relaxing on the beach or with family on Sundays.