Distria Krasniqi


Distria Krasniqi 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. 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.

Career

Krasniqi took up the sport at the age of seven and was encouraged by her brother with whom she practiced the sport.
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.
Krasniqi won bronze medal in the 48 kg category at the 2019 World Championships. 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. In 2021, she won the gold medal in her event at the 2021 World Masters held in Doha, Qatar.
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.
She won the Female Athlete of the Year award at the 2021 Judo Awards.
Krasniqi won the silver medal in her event at the 2022 Paris Grand Slam held in Paris, France. She won the gold medal in the women's 52 kg event at the 2022 Mediterranean Games held in Oran, Algeria.
Krasniqi lost her bronze medal match with Japanese judoka Uta Abe in the women's 52kg 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.
In November 2025, Krasniqi won the gold medal at the 2025 Zagreb Grand Prix in Zagreb, Croatia.