Does anyone else remember when after the Tokyo 2021 400m final, Stephenie Ann McPherson came 4th and personally went over after the race to congratulate Miller Uibo and Felix but then ignored Paulino. Then she fell to the ground and started screaming "they're on steroids!!!" and had to be consoled by her teammate, Candice McLeod?
This moment is literally on YouTube and I'm always surprised it's never been seriously mentioned as Paulino has improved year on year.
Starts pretty much from 9:00 on the YouTube Replay:
Thank you for the link. Had never seen it. Feels... Somewhat dramatic? Like, it looks like she's ruptured a ligament or something. Having said that, I've also never experienced the heartbreak of 4th at the Olympics, so recognise emotions may be a little high ha. Still.
"I feel like the winner because I’ve spent five years in a row running 10 or 15 races. Running isn’t just about doing one or two. It’s about being consistent, running a lot, because this is why sport exists — to compete. Not just to challenge yourself twice a year.”
She "runs twice a year" and is still better than you. Sprinters talking about racing a lot or not is hilarious. If it was a 10k runner or marathoner? They'd still look like an idiot but at least there would be a morsel of reason behind it.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
This one is borderline because I think it could be interpreted the way you are, but I also think she could just have meant that she feels like a winner because she's put herself out there and challenged herself many times over the past five years and that means you are a winner in the sport. Written on the page it seems clearly like a shot at Sydney, but listening to it with her original inflections and how she was responding to the interviewer it didn't sound as directed. Definitely could be, though...
She sounded angry that Syd just shows up and beats her. The impression was that she didn't think Syd had put the work in and she had. Yes I agree it could be "A" winner instead of "the" winner, but her point was clear that she wasn't impressed with Syd and felt that it's not good for the sport to just run 2 races a year. It was clearly a diss, but it's clearly her opinion and I respect her for saying it out loud.
weak. You "respect her" for saying it after a gold medal race? Seems like she should clam up or let her feelings be known during an interview a few weeks later. And...leave the word "winner" out. At a minimum she should keep quiet until she beats Syd and wins another gold in another different event.
Sydney wasn't ready to defeat Paulino last year. She devoted all of 2023 to 400 flat and didn't run nearly as fast as she expected or Kersee expected. That's why she retreated to the safe harbor of 400 hurdles for Paris.
Sydney herself said that wasn't the goal. She wrote in her book that the plan was never to run 400 hurdles again after 2022.
Fast forward to 2025 and she knows Paulino will be 31 in Los Angeles. This was perfect timing to switch to 400 flat, even if it carried considerable risk this year.
Regardless, I think Paulino's summary was perfectly understandable. Sydney is not going to be popular on the circuit when she pulls stunts like trying to barge into the Diamond League final at 200 and 400 last year despite not competing in one Diamond League meet all year and never injured. There was backlash against it and Brussels had to change course within 24 hours.
Sydney since Tokyo 2021 has chosen admired over beloved.
^^ this. Getting thrashed by Paulino in Paris 23 meant Kersee withdrew her from Budapest. Don't fall for that injury nonsense. The plan, as AwsiDooger says, was to switch to the flat after Eugene, but Kersee realised it was not the best move.
However...it is important to remember Sydney herself will be 29 come LA. It's not a given she will be better in 3 years time, and who knows who else will come along and run 48s. Expecting to be your best over 400m (or to be able to double) at age 29 is not easy; typically quartermilers peak between 24-27.
The two of you are probably about as objective in assessing Sydney as Chief Gordon Ramzi... read your usernames and that was all I needed to know.
SML has raced 12 times this year. Yes, not as many as Paulino's 18, but that's more than enough that this is an invalid comment. Sure SML hasn't done as many 400s, but that's because it's not her main event. She intentionally decided to challenge herself more by competing exclusively in an off event in world champs. Making the decision to forego a 99%+ guaranteed win and challenge herself in an off event makes track more interesting. I was getting legitimately bored of watching her win the 400H over and over, and this made her world championships run actually interesting again. Ragging on her for not racing as many 400s is quite stupid.
Absolutely right, and that's not even mentioning the times SML has run the 100HH where she knows she's going to get her butt handed to her, especially when she leads with her non-dominant leg.
"I feel like the winner because I’ve spent five years in a row running 10 or 15 races. Running isn’t just about doing one or two. It’s about being consistent, running a lot, because this is why sport exists — to compete. Not just to challenge yourself twice a year.”
Girl BYE, Sydney owned you at your specialty event. 🤣😂🤣😂. Paulino is droved like Sydney put a steering wheel in her back and have Paulino all on the curbs. 😳
Syd may have raced 12 times, but that was only 6 meets ... and ZERO Diamond League meets outside the U.S. In fact, Tokyo was her only meet at all outside the U.S.
Paulino just lost me as a fan. She no doubt benefited from Sydney’s presence on the track, and herself should be celebrating an incredible result. This sour response is a bad look, especially considering SML commented on the “great competition” in her brief post-race interview. Sydney beats her on the track and in professionalism, I guess.
Unless you speak spanish, get over yourself. Don't seem like you were much of a fan to begin with. I wouldn't consider it shade. She is proud of herself as she should be. Sydney is a tourist to the whole sport. Parachutes in and takes the glory. Good for her. However, there are others that travel the world and toil, because they have to make a living, but also represent the sport. I'm sure she's not the only quarter-miler with slight resentment towards Sydney.
At her level SML is always just one step away from an injury that ends her career. We've lost to injury athletes like Brazier, Mu and Steiner. Sydney seems to take a cautious, methodological approach to her career. I don't fault her for that.
She said "me siento como una ganadora" not "me siento como la ganadora"
Meaning she feels like a winner, not the winner.
She's throwing a bit of shade, but I think she's implying she didn't feel like she lost. She's satisfied with the result
Yeah, I listened carefully a few times. There’s some shade for sure, but it is more about being proud for herself for consistently ‘bringing it’ in her event.
Theres a bit of a sore loser element to this, but I think overall she just feels proud for herself.
Not a fan of Paulino at all. She's clearly butthurt Syd made the switch this year and dominated her. Sydney has everything, the looks, the talent, the relentless drive.
you don't like it? beat her. talk is cheap, Syd settled it on the track.
