Marileidy Paulino wins the 400m at Athlos (© Getty Images)
Marileidy Paulino maintained her unbeaten season in dramatic fashion at Athlos in London on Friday (18), just catching Henriette Jaeger in a high-quality 400m that produced two sub-49-second performances.
The Olympic champion clocked a meeting record of 48.73, edging Norway’s Jaeger by just 0.05 as she smashed her national record with 48.78.
Jaeger and Nickisha Pryce attacked the race from the outset, with Jaeger reaching 200m in 23.69 while Paulino was half a second behind in sixth. The Dominican began to close on the leaders around the final bend and moved into third with 100m remaining, but Jaeger still held a clear advantage for much of the home straight.
Paulino gradually ate into the deficit and finally caught Jaeger in the closing metres to extend her winning streak through an undefeated 2026 season.
It was Paulino’s 15th career sub-49-second performance, equalling the all-time record. Eight of those have come this year, also a record number within a single calendar year.
Jaeger's 48.78, meanwhile, is the fastest 400m performance by a European athlete since Marie-Jose Perec's victory at the 1996 Olympics. She now moves to 13th on the world all-time list.
Two more meeting records fell in the 100m and 800m.
Sha’Carri Richardson took control of the 100m during the second half of the race, powering clear to win in 10.80. New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs was second in 11.19.
Keely Hodgkinson improved her own meeting record in the 800m, winning by more than two seconds in 1:56.40. The first lap was covered in 57.53, with Raevyn Rogers leading and Hodgkinson on her shoulder before the Olympic champion moved away. Eloisa Coiro Rosamilia finished second in 1:58.75.
There was a late twist in the mile, where Klaudia Kazimierska continued her strong end-of-season form. Georgia Hunter Bell led into the closing stages and was trying to hold off Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi, but Kazimierska charged through on the inside to win in 4:19.43. Hunter Bell was second in 4:19.54 and Ewoi third in 4:19.84.
Gabby Thomas won the 200m in 22.13 from Kayla White’s 22.40, while Alaysha Johnson edged Tobi Amusan by 0.01 in the 100m hurdles, 12.50 to 12.51.
Alyssa Jones took victory in the long jump, her 6.66m best giving her a two-centimetre advantage over Hilary Kpatcha.
