Paulino will make her debut on Monday, 5 August, in the first heat of the grand Parisian event. For now, her success stands her in good stead, having won two silver medals at Tokyo 2020: first in the 400m and then in the mixed 4x400m relay. This achievement made her the first Dominican woman to secure a medal in athletics for her country.

Her path to victory continued a year later at the World Championships held in Eugene, where she claimed gold in the mixed category after surpassing her idol, the American legend Allyson Felix, in the relay. At the same tournament, she also earned a silver medal in the individual event, an accomplishment she surpassed by winning the gold medal at the 2023 World Championships held in Budapest.

In an interview with AFP, Paulino admitted that her experience in Tokyo made her more widely known: "The Marileidy who arrived in Tokyo wasn’t very well known. Now many people know me. Winning a world title puts me in the spotlight among other athletes; I am one of the favourites."

Paulino, who has a personal best of 48.76 seconds, feels in excellent shape for these Olympic Games. "I have prepared very well. Physically and mentally, I am more than ready. I just have to wait for the day," said the athlete. Her goal is to break the 48-second barrier and win the Olympic gold. It is no surprise that Paulino is regarded as the best in the world, as she currently ranks first in the women’s 400m on the World Athletics ranking with 1479 points. 

She also shared that her recent training sessions were nearly compromised due to the rain during the opening ceremony on the River Seine, where she was the flag bearer for her country along with gymnast Audrys Reyes. "Many athletes would have liked to experience that. And on a boat, too!" Paulino remarked, relieved not to have fallen ill despite the rain.

Looking to the future, Paulino remains optimistic about the possibility of approaching the world record of 47.60 seconds, set in 1985 by then-East German Marita Koch. "I must wait for that moment. Whether it’s at these Olympic Games, the next ones, or at the World Championships, perhaps one day I can try," concluded Paulino, who began her athletics career as a 200-metre sprinter after previously being a handball player.