Marileidy Paulino skips Doha Diamond League opener, plots unique path to 2025 goals

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s reigning Olympic and World 400m champion, Marileidy Paulino, is charting a deliberate and strategic course for her 2025 season, opting to skip the traditional Diamond League opener in Doha, Qatar. The decision signals a clear prioritization of calculated performance build-up over early-season appearances, as Paulino targets historic achievements later in the year.

Rather than commencing her international campaign on the standard Diamond League circuit, Paulino is focusing her initial efforts on the new Grand Slam Track series. She has already made her mark with appearances in Kingston and Miami, notably securing a dominant win and a record in the 200m at the latter event. Her Grand Slam schedule is set to continue with a stop in Philadelphia on May 30th, leading towards the series’ lucrative Final in Los Angeles from June 27th to 29th.

This early focus on a different circuit allows the 28-year-old sprinter to meticulously manage her energy and fine-tune her form. Her ambitious goals for 2025 include making history by becoming the first woman to claim four career Diamond League titles in the 400 meters, surpassing the current record she shares. Crucially, her season build-up is geared towards peaking at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she intends to defend the title she captured in 2023.

Paulino is scheduled to join the Diamond League later in the summer, with planned appearances in Monaco on July 11th, Silesia, Poland on August 16th, and Zurich, Switzerland on August 27th. This selective approach to the prestigious series, which has increased its prize money this year, aligns with the strategy outlined by her coach, Yaseen Pérez, emphasizing quality over quantity in competition choices.

By prioritizing a carefully selected schedule and strategic preparation, Marileidy Paulino is demonstrating a maturity that values long-term success and peak performance in championship moments over constant visibility on the track. Her unconventional path for 2025 underscores a focus on the intelligent side of elite athletics, aiming to not just compete, but to leave an indelible mark on the sport’s history.