By The Star Staff
Sprinter Gabriella “Gabby” Scott Puig made it to the semifinals of the women’s 400 meters on Tuesday at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and set a national record for the second time at the Stade de France.
“I am very excited. I don’t want to cry,” Scott Puig said in a written statement. “I was much better at the start than yesterday [Monday] and at the end. … I finished very hard today.”
The first-time Olympian crossed the finish line with a time of 50.52 seconds, the second best time in the new repechage round implemented for the Paris Games, to qualify for today’s semifinals. At the start Scott Puig, 27, looked explosive, with improved technique. Her finish was likewise powerful, as if she forgot that 80,000 spectators were watching her.
“I want it to be tomorrow to qualify for the final!” she added.
The German-born athlete improved on the national record she set on Monday of 50.74 seconds in the preliminary round, with which she was able to qualify for the repechage but not directly to the semifinals. Scott Puig had already set a Puerto Rican national mark of 50.97 seconds in 2022.
The Orlando, Florida resident had the second best mark in the repechage, surpassed only by Kendall Ellis of the U.S. with a time of 50.44 seconds. The third best time was recorded by Ella Onojuvwevwo of Nigeria, who finished in 50.59 (.584) seconds.
The top finishers in each repechage series and the two fastest in all the series completed will form the fields in today’s semifinal rounds to be held at 2:45 p.m. Puerto Rico time (8:45 p.m. in Paris). The initial qualifiers were the best three times in the first round, for a total of 16 semifinalists.
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