Distria Krasniqi became the winner of the U48kg division at the 2020 Grand Slam in Budapest. The tiny Kosovan gave interview for Judo Inside her after her victory.
How did you feel about the IJF World Tour resuming and how prepared were you for this competition?
I was very happy when I heard that the Budapest Grand Slam was confirmed because I had missed fighting for so many months. I came very prepared. I train every day so I am always ready for competition.
Number 1 seed Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo storms into the next round as she blasts past Hungary’s Csernoviczki – swipe to see some Ippon action!#JudoBudapest #Judo #Sport #Olympics #Hungary
©️IJF Media Team – Ben Urban pic.twitter.com/0yvpGA67eo— Judo (@Judo) October 23, 2020
What was the training like for you in the months leading up to this competition?
Well, in Kosovo we never stopped training even though we didn’t know when the next competition would be. We also went to a few overseas training camps in Croatia and Turkey. That helped a lot.
What was the atmosphere like at the Budapest Grand Slam?
It was very different from the past. Usually in Budapest, you have big crowds and it’s a very busy atmosphere. But this time it was very quiet because of the strict rules regarding Covid-19. The day we arrived in Budapest we weren’t allowed to meet anybody outside our own contingent. Only after we tested negative, were we allowed to meet others. It was nice catching up with friends and even opponents. I missed seeing other judo people. I miss everything about competition.
