Marileidy Paulino breaks record, wins second gold at Central American and Caribbean Games

Dominican sprinter Marileidy Paulino set a new Central American and Caribbean Games record of 48.94 seconds to claim her second gold medal in the women's 400 metres. The race took place in heavy rain at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo, drawing thousands of spectators despite the weather.

In the men's 400 metres, fellow Dominican Gabriel Moronta captured gold with a time of 44.70 seconds, beating Mexico's Luis Áviles and Venezuela's Javier Gómez. The performances highlighted the host nation’s dominance at the 2026 Games, which also featured medalists from Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica and other regional countries.

Paulino, the reigning Olympic champion, said she was grateful for the public’s support and looks ahead to the Diamond League, the 2027 Pan‑American Games in Lima and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.