Distria Krasniqi
Distria Krasniqi NK (Albanian pronunciation: [diˈstɾia kɾasˈnici]; born 10 December 1995) is a Kosovo Albanian judoka. She is a two-time Olympic medallist and won the gold medal in the women's 48-kg judo event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the silver medal in the women's 52-kg judo event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[5][6][7] Krasniqi is also a two-time World Championships bronze medallist and three-time European champion. In August 2021, she was awarded the Honor of the Nation Decoration of Albania by the President of Albania.[8]
Career
Krasniqi took up the sport at the age of seven and was encouraged by her brother with whom she practiced the sport.[9]
In mid-2018, Krasniqi switched to the super lightweight category of 48 kilograms from 52 kg event after missing out on qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics. As a result, she avoided her fellow Kosovan teammate and 2016 Olympic champion Majlinda Kelmendi in the light weight division, as well as Nora Gjakova, the 2018 European light weight champion in the qualification round for the 2020 Olympic Games.[10]
Krasniqi won bronze medal in the 48 kg category at the 2019 World Judo Championships.[11] In 2020, she won one of the bronze medals in the women's 48 kg event at the 2020 European Judo Championships held in Prague, Czech Republic.[12] In 2021, she won the gold medal in her event at the 2021 Judo World Masters held in Doha, Qatar.[13][14]
Krasniqi represented Kosovo at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, Japan which also marked her debut appearance at the Olympics and claimed a gold medal in the women's 48kg event.[15][16][17]
She won the Female Athlete of the Year award at the 2021 Judo Awards.[18]
Krasniqi won the silver medal in her event at the 2022 Judo Grand Slam Paris held in Paris, France.[19] She won the gold medal in the women's 52 kg event at the 2022 Mediterranean Games held in Oran, Algeria.[20]
In 2023, Krasniqi lost her bronze medal match with Japanese judoka Uta Abe in the women's 52 kg event at the World Judo Championships held in Doha, Qatar.
Again representing Kosovo, Krasniqi won the silver medal in the women's 52 kg event at the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France.[7]
References
- ^ "Krasniqi Distria". tarragona2018.cat. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ^ "Vendime të miratuara në mbledhjen e Këshillit të Ministrave, datë 18 Shtator 2021" [Decisions approved at the meeting of the Council of Ministers, dated 18 September 2021] (in Albanian). Prime Minister's Office (Albania). 18 September 2021.
- ^ "Triumfi historik i Luiza Gegës si pasqyrë e mexhelisit tonë social-politik" [The historic triumph of Luiza Gega as a reflection of our social-political mexelis] (in Albanian). Prime Minister's Office (Albania). 25 August 2022.
Sportistët e punësuar aktualisht pranë Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes, që do të përfitojnë nga ky ligj gradën e kolonelit janë: 1. Luiza GEGA – "Kolonel", 2. Briken CALJA – "Kolonel", 3. Nora GJAKOVA – "Kolonel", 4. Distria KRASNIQI – "Kolonel"
- ^ "World Ranking List, Women –52 kg". International Judo Federation. 23 June 2025. Archived from the original on 23 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ^ Nandita Deodhar (29 July 2021). "Kosovo's Distria Krasniqi wins historic gold in Tokyo, marking the country's second-ever Olympic medal". GCP Awards Blog. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "Judo KRASNIQI Distria". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ a b Khalatyan, Rafael (28 July 2024). "Judo: Hifumi Abe dominates to claim second Olympic title". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
- ^ "Presidenti Meta vlerëson me Dekoratën 'Nderi i Kombit' xhudistet kosovare D'Istria Krasniqi dhe Nora Gjakova si dhe trajnerin e tyre, Driton Kuka: Shembuj frymëzimi për sportistet e reja, që lartësuan krenarinë kombëtare!" (in Albanian). President of Albania. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ^ Cowen, Thea (6 February 2021). "KRASNIQI CONTINUES TO CONQUER THE LIGHTWEIGHT CATEGORY". European Judo Union. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Judo in the time of Covid-19: Distria Krasniqi". www.judoinside.com. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ 2019 World Judo Championships –48 kg results
- ^ Browne, Ken (19 November 2020). "Giuffrida and Safarov shine on Day 1 of the 2020 judo European Championships". Olympic Channel. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "2021 Judo World Masters". International Judo Federation. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ Gillen, Nancy (11 January 2021). "Olympic silver medallist An wins under-66kg contest at IJF World Judo Masters". InsideTheGames.biz. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
- ^ "Judo-Kosovo's Krasniqi wins first judo gold medal at Tokyo 2020". Reuters. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Naohisa Takato claims Japan's 1st Tokyo gold with judo win". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Judo KRASNIQI Distria". Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Archived from the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
- ^ Houston, Michael (19 December 2021). "Krasniqi and Shavdatuashvili win top prizes at 2021 Judo Awards". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ Lloyd, Owen (5 February 2022). "Japan claims four gold medals on Judo Paris Grand Slam opening day". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
- ^ "Judo Results Book" (PDF). 2022 Mediterranean Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
External links
Media related to Distria Krasniqi at Wikimedia Commons
- Distria Krasniqi at the European Judo Union
- Distria Krasniqi at the International Judo Federation
- Distria Krasniqi at JudoInside.com
- Distria Krasniqi at AllJudo.net (in French)
- Distria Krasniqi at Olympics.com
- Distria Krasniqi at Olympedia
- Distria Krasniqi at The-Sports.org