With three Olympic gold medals from only two Olympic Games, Kosovo have become accustomed to the tremendous success of their judo players. One of those who dominated in Tokyo was Distria KRASNIQI, climbing to the top of the podium in the -48kg category, but in Paris, changes had been made. It has been just over five months since Krasniqi competed and has now completed her season opener in the Mittersill OTC, but before going home she reflected on her experience in the French capital.
The difference was that I was more focused, and I knew already what it meant to be at the Olympics, and yes I took gold but this time I felt I was better prepared mentally. Even though it was a new weight category and the cycle was short, only three years, yes maybe a little short for me but I was ready mentally.
Since moving to the -52kg category, Krasniqi barely missed a beat and quickly rose in the world ranking list to become a front runner. Now, Krasniqi may say she was prepared mentally, but she is also one athlete who is always comfortable in the warm up.
I’m usually like this, I can manage myself and my feelings, in my first Olympics I remember saying to my coach that it didn’t feel like an Olympics to me, I had this feeling that it was just like a Grand Prix or Grand Slam and I was just enjoying it. I also had the same feeling in Paris, but when it came to the semi final I was really focussed, and then the final came very fast.
It came around after only ten minutes or something like that, I wasn’t focused at all, I was sleepy, and I was calmer than I should be! For a cycle we have four years, and in that time we always have a good rest before the final, and then in the most important competition we have something different. So we had about three hours rest before the semi final, and for me, I think I fought it like the final. Perhaps this was the mistake that I made in this Olympics, but you know, that semi final is really important too [she laughs] but I gave my all.
Regardless of the end result, Krasniqi had managed to rise to the top of a new weight category and make it to another Olympic final which in itself is a colossal achievement.
It was great, really great, I was so focused until then and then I realised I had to go again right away for the final. It’s funny, I really wanted to fight against ABE (Uta, JPN) in the final because I prepared a lot for her and also, I think I prepared more for her than for others and that wasn’t good, I should have been equally prepared for all.
On day two of the Paris Olympic Games, Japan’s super siblings, ABE Uta and Hifumi were competing to defend their Tokyo titles, but in the opening rounds, shock hit the arena as Uta was eliminated.
I was in the warm up area and I was looking at that fight – Round two: ABE Uta (JPN) and Diyora KELDIYOROVA (UZB) – it was going well in Abe’s favour, and when that happened, we were all in shock, a lot of people were happy, but I wasn’t. I don’t know what happened to me but I was almost crying. My coach turned to me and said it was a big chance, then he saw my face and that I was not okay, and then I really had some pressure that I had to take the gold.
This wasn’t just a small change in preparation, for most athletes in this category they would have been preparing for the Tokyo Olympic Champion,
I was dreaming of this contest every night, a final with Abe. I really needed to prepare more for her because she wasn’t seeded, it could have even be my first fight!
How about the atmosphere? In Tokyo it was the height of the covid pandemic and it was a polar opposite reality, a confined experience for the athletes, however in Paris, societal norms had returned and the multi-sport event felt bigger than ever.
For me it was better, I like a big crowd, it’s one of the reasons I love the Paris Grand Slam and perform well, it gives me a great feeling to hear people cheering, and I knew that this would only help me. After the final I felt a little bit disappointed, because the fight was going well, I think it was in my favour until she threw me [she laughs], I made a mistake I shouldn’t have, and I’d trained to avoid it but she was phenomenal that day and I think she deserved it, more than me and more than anyone that day.
She (Keldiyorova) beat Abe, Amandine BUCHARD (FRA), she was unstoppable. It was her day and what a great day for her. Like I said I made that mistake and she is a great judoka, she sees the small details. After she threw me I lost my mind, I didn’t know what to do, and the fight wasn’t good for me after that.
Going home to Kosovo was a different experience this time around, fighting against the disappointment, but she was helped by her team.
First I wasn’t so happy about the silver medal but after I spoke with my coach and my team, they made me realise that I’d taken my second medal and no one in Kosovo has two Olympic medals. To be the first one made me really proud of myself, it was a different category, still a final and now I can enjoy it more. At home everyone was happy, but after Tokyo, I think they’re only used to gold medals! Silver and bronze is good of course, they were still waiting for us to celebrate.
The bronze medal of course came from Laura FAZLIU in the -63kg category,
I felt nervous for everyone in my team, especially for her, I think she wasn’t having a good day because if she was, I was sure she would take a gold medal, but still hard work paid off and I’m so happy for her. She made a very big sacrifice, she was a kid when she came to us and left her family, she trains so hard and really deserves it.
Laura FAZLIU (KOS)
Judoka
Author: Thea Cowen