María Elena Moré: behind the lens that captured Marileidy's greatness

María Elena Moré firmly believes in the power of women to achieve their goals. This is evident in her book " Marileidy Paulino : Path to the Olympic Dream," a project that was born in 2020 when she saw the Dominican athlete running during the Tokyo Olympic Games.

In that edition, the Olympic champion won two silver medals , but María Elena was convinced it was only a matter of time before she brought gold back to the country. From that moment on, she began to portray her story.

"I, who was taking photos as a hobby at the time, met her one day at the Olympic Stadium, months after her return from Tokyo, and I told her I wanted to be there when she won the gold medal in Paris , because I was convinced she would succeed, in other words, I had that determination," the photographer and cultural manager said in an interview with Diario Libre.

Initially, her intention was simply to capture a few photographs, but after speaking with several people, the idea of taking the project further and creating a book emerged. It was then that she met with Banco Popular, Paulino's sponsor, who is also an ambassador for the bank. Their response was immediate and very positive.

"In this book I wanted to portray Marileidy, who is not only the athlete, but the woman, the human being." María Elena Moré , Photographer and Cultural Manager

The book took more than a year to produce. "I spent every month before, during, and after the Olympics with her, taking all the photos. And from the beginning, the idea was for it to be a documentary photography book , not just a sports photography book," says María Elena.

In total, she took around 30,000 photos . While each one tells a unique story, her favorite image is one taken on the first day of the Paris Olympics . In it, the athlete is shown running toward the finish line, with no one in front or behind her.

Infographic — María Elena Moré shows her favorite photograph from the book "Marileidy Paulino: The Road to the Olympic Dream." ( **DIARIO LIBRE/NELSON PULIDO** )

"I loved it because she was reaching the finish line, she was alone. The light was early morning, it was around 10 in the morning, and there was a beautiful light in the stadium. I had Marileidy 's mom sitting next to me, I took the photo, she reached the finish line and at that moment her mom said to me: 'I feel like God ran alongside my daughter.' When I looked at the photo I had just taken, I said: wow, it feels like she's running alone, but with Him," she recalls.

For María Elena, creating this book was a huge challenge . "I've been working in the art world for many years, in my role as executive director of Chavón School of Design, but this meant dedicating myself fully to it, and it was the first publishing project I'd undertaken," she notes.

The lens artist was involved in the entire process : from the book 's concept to the production of the photos and the final editing. However, despite the huge effort involved, she assures that, when she sees the final product , it was all worth it.

"I'm honored to be able to document the first Dominican woman to win a gold medal . I think it's something that serves as an example for children. I feel it remains part of our country's cultural legacy , and I also feel very proud to have supported another woman on her journey to achieve such a great goal," she says.

Beyond the athlete

María Elena's relationship with the Don Gregorio native wasn't limited to capturing her image in a sporting context; it was also about getting to know her as a human being .

"I'm left with the impression of a woman of great faith, a good daughter, a good friend, with a strong sense of justice. Despite all her successes, she maintains an admirable humility, remaining an authentic and hard-working woman. For me, Marileidy is a role model ," says Moré, who recognizes the athlete as an example of strength and resilience .

According to the photographer, the determination of the person responsible for an Olympic record was one of the main sources of inspiration throughout the process .

"She has an inner strength , which is silent, but which speaks for itself on the dance floor. If she achieved this, it was for her and for all of us. I wanted that to happen, for the triumph not to be just hers, but for all women ," she adds.

Throughout the creation of the book , María Elena also reflected on the message she wanted to convey to those who read it.

"I want girls to see that and feel that it's possible . Marileidy told me something very beautiful, which I even included at the end of the book : ' My triumph is that of all Dominican girls and women , my triumph is that of all women in the world.'"

Publication with digital access

The editorial proposal for this work featured the design of the respected Elías Roedán and the introductory words of Dominique Bluhdorn , founder of Chavón The School of Design.