The Spanish royal family formally recognized Dominican Republic’s athletic icon Marileidy Paulino on Wednesday during a high-profile ceremony at the Royal Palace of El Pardo. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia presented Paulino with the prestigious Ibero-American Community Trophy (Trofeo Comunidad Iberoamericana) for 2023, an award honoring the athlete who most distinguished themselves in international sports throughout the year.
The recognition primarily celebrates Paulino’s historic gold medal in the 400 meters at the 2023 Budapest World Championships. At age 29, she secured her legacy as the first Dominican woman to ever stand atop a world championship podium in athletics—a feat she later cemented by capturing the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
While Paulino could not attend the ceremony in person due to her ongoing training and competition schedule, she was represented by Dominican Ambassador to Spain Tony Raful. Raful accepted the trophy from the monarchs on her behalf in a ceremony that also honored other global sports stars.
The National Sports Awards Gala The event was part of Spain’s broader National Sports Awards, which simultaneously celebrated achievements from both 2023 and 2024. Other notable winners included Spanish soccer stars Rodri Hernández and Aitana Bonmatí, as well as Brazilian gymnast Rebeca Andrade, who received the 2024 Ibero-American Community Trophy for her four-medal performance in Paris.
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Diario Libre
12 February 2026