Kosovar judoka Distria Krasniqi claimed the bronze medal in the women’s 52 kg category at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam, delivering another proud moment for Kosovo and the Albanian community on Independence Day.
Krasniqi secured the medal through the repechage after defeating Dutch judoka Naomi Van Krevel. Earlier in the competition, she opened with a victory over Russia’s Katrina Efimova, followed by a waza-ari win against Israel’s Gefen Primo in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, Krasniqi faced Hungary’s Reka Pupp, a formidable opponent. The match extended into golden score, where a controversial decision saw one of Krasniqi’s waza-ari points annulled and awarded to Pupp, sending Pupp to the final.
Kosovo is also represented by Laura Fazliu (-63 kg), competing on Saturday, and Shpati Zekaj (-100 kg), competing on Sunday.
Krasniqi’s medal continues Kosovo’s strong tradition in international judo and highlights her consistent performance on the global stage.
