Distria Krasniqi remains the -52kg queen in Europe. The Kosovar picked up her fourth title at the
European Senior Championships in Tbilisi on Wednesday, proving once more that she is at the top
and can overcome herself when it counts.
“It means a lot to me and I feel amazing,” Krasniqi said about winning. “It was a very hard day. I
wasn’t on my best trade but I still managed to take a medal so I am very happy to take gold.”
Winning for the fourth time did not feel easy to the 2021 Olympic Champion in the -48kg. “To repeat
[as a champion] four times, is harder I think than to win for the first time,” Krasniqi explained. “I’m
very happy that after I took all medals every athlete can dream of, I still managed to be on the top
and I am a European champion again.”
The 30-year-old counted on her experience in the final against a formidable opponent, two-time
European Champion Amadine Buchard of France. “For the final I was very calm and I knew how to
fight, I knew my strategy,” Krasniqi explained. “I worked with my coach in training for her [Buchard]
and for all my other opponents but I knew that she [Buchard] will come in the final because for me
she’s one of the best in Europe, also in the whole world for Judo. I knew what I had to do.”
Victories and medals fuel the 2024 Olympic silver medalist even more even though she has won it all.
“It motivates me a lot,” she said. “Everyone keeps asking me, how do you find motivation? But I love
Judo, I love the competition feeling and this is what keeps me in this sport. And of course, when this
is all paid off with medals, gold medals or all kinds of medals, it motivates me a lot to keep going.”
Author: Tatjana Flade
Author: EJU Media