Kosovar judoka Distria Krasniqi has concluded her participation in the “Budapest 2025” World Judo Championship with a silver medal in the up to 52 kg category. She reached the grand final, where she was defeated by Japanese champion Uta Abe via Ippon.
Distria began her path to the medal with determination, defeating Brazilian Jessica Pereira, an experienced name in the international arena, in the first phase. She then dominated Francine Echevarria from Puerto Rico in the next round to secure a spot in the semi-finals.
In the quarterfinals, the judoka from Peja faced Hungarian Reka Pupp, a duel that garnered significant interest due to their strong history. Distria was convincing in this encounter as well, securing a well-deserved place in the championship’s grand final.
In the semi-final, Distria defeated Spanish judoka Ariane Toro Soler.
In the final, Krasniqi faced Japanese superstar Uta Abe, who remains one of the best judokas in the world in this category. After a cautious start from both, Abe managed to finish the match with an Ippon, denying Distria the world champion title.
Despite the loss in the final, Distria Krasniqi has once again demonstrated that she remains at the pinnacle of world judo, representing Kosovo with pride and exceptional skill.
