Panama's Woodruff Smashes Record for Gold in Santo Domingo; Eyes World Circuit

Panamanian athlete Gianna Woodruff captured the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the XXV Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026, also setting a new competition record. The 32-year-old Olympian expressed her joy, stating, "This medal is very important for me" as she had previously secured silver medals in the 2018 Barranquilla and 2023 San Salvador games. Woodruff achieved a time of 53.98 seconds, breaking a record set in 1998 and becoming the first athlete in the history of these games to finish the event in under 54 seconds. The previous record of 54.30 seconds was held by Jamaica's Deon Hemmings. Woodruff's personal best this season is 53.58 seconds, achieved at the Golden Gala in Rome. Despite not being fluent in Spanish, she conveyed her deep affection for Panama, saying, "Thanks to my family, thanks to my Panama, I do everything for you." She also praised the host nation, describing the experience as "all positive" with "very kind people" and "very good food." Woodruff's gold medal marks Panama's third gold at the Santo Domingo 2026 Games, placing the Isthmian delegation in eleventh position in the overall medal count.

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This medal is very important for me