Marileidy Paulino has added another record-setting victory to a remarkable 2026 season. The Dominican Olympic champion won the women’s 400 meters at ATHLOS London on September 18, clocking 48.73 seconds to establish a new meeting record at StoneX Stadium. Paulino launched a dramatic late charge to defeat Norway’s Henriette Jæger, who finished just five hundredths of a second behind in 48.78.
The victory earned Paulino first place at ATHLOS London and another signature crown moment at the women-focused track and field event.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesBut the 48.73 performance was significant for another reason. It marked Paulino’s 15th career 400-meter race under 49 seconds, tying the all-time record for the most sub-49 performances.
Marileidy Paulino Wins ATHLOS London 400m in 48.73
Paulino did not dominate the race from the opening gun. Jæger and Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce started aggressively, with Jæger reaching the 200-meter point in 23.69 seconds. Paulino was running sixth at that stage, approximately half a second behind the Norwegian leader.
Then the race changed and Paulino began closing the gap around the final bend. With 100 meters remaining, she had moved into third, but Jæger still held the advantage.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesPaulino continued gaining ground down the home straight before catching Jæger in the closing meters. She crossed the finish line in 48.73, with Jæger recording 48.78 and Pryce taking third in 49.39.
The margin between first and second was only 0.05 seconds.
© AFP via Getty ImagesJæger’s performance was historic in its own right. Her 48.78 lowered the Norwegian national record and made her the fastest European woman over 400 meters in 30 years, according to European Athletics.
Marileidy Paulino Ties the All-Time Sub-49 Record
Paulino’s ATHLOS performance was more than another win. Her 48.73 marked the 15th time in her career that she has completed 400 meters in under 49 seconds, equaling the all-time record. Eight of those sub-49 performances have come during the 2026 season alone.
That consistency helps put the scale of Paulino’s season into perspective.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesThe Dominican sprinter entered ATHLOS London undefeated in 2026 and extended that streak with her late-race victory. World Athletics described the result as another win in an unbeaten season, while Dominican reports noted that she completed her competitive year without a defeat.
It also continued Paulino’s success at ATHLOS. She won the inaugural ATHLOS NYC 400m in 2024 with a time of 49.59 seconds.
What Marileidy Paulino Won at ATHLOS London
ATHLOS London offered significantly increased prize money for the 2026 season. According to ATHLOS, first place in each event was worth $65,000, followed by $35,000 for second and $20,000 for third. The organization also continued its tradition of presenting winners with its Tiffany & Co.-designed crown.
The London competition was particularly significant for ATHLOS because it marked the event’s first international stop after launching in New York.
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe women-only professional track and field competition featured seven disciplines: the 100-meter hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, mile and long jump.
Paulino was joined on the winners’ list by several major track stars. Sha’Carri Richardson won the women’s 100m in 10.80 seconds, Gabby Thomas took the 200m in 22.13 and Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson won her event in 1:56.40.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesMarileidy Paulino’s 2026 Season Adds Another Historic Chapter
Paulino’s latest achievement comes after years of rewriting Dominican track and field history.
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© Getty ImagesAt the Paris 2024 Olympics, she won the women’s 400m gold medal in an Olympic-record 48.17 seconds. Her career has continued to build since then, with her 2026 campaign showing an extraordinary level of consistency below the 49-second barrier.
