PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — The whole of Kosovo celebrated Saturday after Distria Krasniqi won the Olympic gold medal in judo, the second-ever Olympic medal for the tiny western Balkan country that became independent only 13 years ago.
Krasniqi beat Funa Tonaki of Japan in the women’s 48-kilogram judo final at the Tokyo Games.
In 2016, Majlinda Kelmendi became the first Kosovar athlete to win a medal at the Olympic Games when she claimed gold in the women's 52-kg category in Rio de Janeiro.
“I was hoping Distria would get a medal but the gold medal was really grandiose,” Krasniqi’s coach Driton Kuka told the KTV private television station. “Two gold medals in two Olympics is a great result in sport.”
Front pages of Kosovo media portals hailed her victory.
“Distria triumphs, Kosovo starts Games with a gold medal,” wrote Kosovapress; “Magnificent, Distria Krasniqi an Olympic champion,” wrote Koha Ditore.
After winning, Krasniqi was quoted by Kosovo’s public television RTK as saying: "This medal goes to my country, my family, to all those who supported me ... It has been a very difficult fight against the Japanese because Japan has the best judo in the world.”
President Vjosa Osmani congratulated the 25-year-old athlete.
“Through Distria today, Kosovo excelled to the world. Today and forever Kosovo will be proud of you,” Osmani wrote on Facebook.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti added: “Thank you for making each of us proud."
In neighboring Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama also hailed Krasniqi’s victory, posting on Facebook: “Lioness. Bravo, Bravo, Bravo.” Her victory was also celebrated in the Albanian media.
The 1998-1999 war in Kosovo, then a Serbian province, ended after a NATO military intervention that forced Serbia to withdraw its forces. The United Nations ran the territory for nine years before Kosovo in 2008 declared independence, a move that Serbia doesn’t recognize. Kosovo has a population of 1.8 million.
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Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania.
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Follow Llazar Semini at https://twitter.com/lsemini
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