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Distria Krasniqi

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Distria Krasniqi
NK
Krasniqi at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Born (1995-10-12) 12 October 1995 (age 30)
Pejë, AP Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia
(present-day Kosovo)
OccupationJudoka
Height1.53 m (5 ft 0 in)[1]
Military career
Allegiance Albania
Branch
Albanian Armed Forces
Service years
2021–[2]
Rank
 Colonel[3]
Sport
Country Kosovo
SportJudo
‍–‍48 kg, ‍–‍52 kg
Achievements and titles
1st place, gold medalist(s) (2020)
2nd place, silver medalist(s) (2025)
1st place, gold medalist(s) (2021, 2024, 2025,
2026)
Highest world ranking
1st[4]
Medal record
Women's judo
Representing  Kosovo
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2020 Tokyo‍–‍48 kg
Silver medal – second place2024 Paris‍–‍52 kg
World Championships
Silver medal – second place2025 Budapest‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2019 Tokyo‍–‍48 kg
Bronze medal – third place2022 Tashkent‍–‍52 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 Lisbon‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2024 Zagreb‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2025 Podgorica‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2026 Tbilisi‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2018 Tel Aviv‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2023 Montpellier‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2020 Prague‍–‍48 kg
Bronze medal – third place2022 Sofia‍–‍52 kg
European Championships Open
Bronze medal – third place2023 Pristina‍–‍57 kg
World Masters
Gold medal – first place2018 Guangzhou‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2019 Qingdao‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2021 Doha‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2022 Jerusalem‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2023 Budapest‍–‍52 kg
IJF Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2020 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2020 Budapest‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2022 Tbilisi‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2023 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2024 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2026 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2018 Abu Dhabi‍–‍48 kg
Silver medal – second place2019 Paris‍–‍48 kg
Silver medal – second place2022 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2023 Tbilisi‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2023 Baku‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2015 Baku‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2017 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2018 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2024 Tbilisi‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2025 Paris‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2025 Abu Dhabi‍–‍52 kg
IJF Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place2015 Samsun‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2017 Antalya‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2017 The Hague‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2018 Antalya‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2018 Tashkent‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2019 Antalya‍–‍48 kg
Gold medal – first place2022 Almada‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2025 Zagreb‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2016 Budapest‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2016 Zagreb‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2018 Tunis‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2019 Budapest‍–‍48 kg
Silver medal – second place2022 Zagreb‍–‍52 kg
Silver medal – second place2025 Linz‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2014 Düsseldorf‍–‍48 kg
Bronze medal – third place2015 Zagreb‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2016 Samsun‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2018 Budapest‍–‍48 kg
Bronze medal – third place2018 The Hague‍–‍48 kg
European U23 Championships
Gold medal – first place2016 Tel Aviv‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2017 Podgorica‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2012 Prague‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2013 Samokov‍–‍52 kg
World Juniors Championships
Gold medal – first place2015 Abu Dhabi‍–‍52 kg
European Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place2013 Sarajevo‍–‍52 kg
Bronze medal – third place2015 Oberwart‍–‍52 kg
Mediterranean Games
Gold medal – first place2018 Tarragona‍–‍52 kg
Gold medal – first place2022 Oran‍–‍52 kg
Jeux de la Francophonie
Gold medal – first place2017 Abidjan‍–‍52 kg
Profile at external databases
IJF7829
JudoInside.com75286
Updated on 16 April 2026

Distria Krasniqi NK (Albanian pronunciation: [diˈstɾia kɾasˈnici]; born 10 December 1995) is a Kosovar 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 Honour of the Nation Decoration of Albania by the President of Albania.[8]

Career

[edit]

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 Championships.[11] In 2020, she won one of the bronze medals in the women's 48 kg event at the 2020 European Championships held in Prague, Czech Republic.[12] In 2021, she won the gold medal in her event at the 2021 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 Paris Grand Slam 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]

Krasniqi lost her bronze medal match with Japanese judoka Uta Abe in the women's 52 kg event at the 2023 World Championships held in Doha, Qatar.

Representing Kosovo at the 2024 Summer Olympics held in Paris, France, Krasniqi won the silver medal in the women's 52 kg event.[7]

In November 2025, Krasniqi won the gold medal at the 2025 Zagreb Grand Prix in Zagreb, Croatia.[21]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Krasniqi Distria". tarragona2018.cat. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. ↑ "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"
  4. ↑ "World Ranking List, Women –52 kg". International Judo Federation. 23 June 2025. Archived from the original on 23 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. 1 2 Khalatyan, Rafael (28 July 2024). "Judo: Hifumi Abe dominates to claim second Olympic title". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  8. ↑ "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.
  9. ↑ Cowen, Thea (6 February 2021). "KRASNIQI CONTINUES TO CONQUER THE LIGHTWEIGHT CATEGORY". European Judo Union. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "Judo in the time of Covid-19: Distria Krasniqi". www.judoinside.com. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  11. ↑ 2019 World Judo Championships –48 kg results
  12. ↑ 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.
  13. ↑ "2021 Judo World Masters". International Judo Federation. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. ↑ "Judo-Kosovo's Krasniqi wins first judo gold medal at Tokyo 2020". Reuters. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  16. ↑ "Naohisa Takato claims Japan's 1st Tokyo gold with judo win". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ Houston, Michael (19 December 2021). "Krasniqi and Shavdatuashvili win top prizes at 2021 Judo Awards". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  19. ↑ Lloyd, Owen (5 February 2022). "Japan claims four gold medals on Judo Paris Grand Slam opening day". InsideTheGames.biz. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  20. ↑ "Judo Results Book" (PDF). 2022 Mediterranean Games. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2022. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  21. ↑ "Distria KRASNIQI / IJF.org". www.ijf.org. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
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