Kosovo Win First Olympic Medal

 

Majlinda Kelmendi made history at the Rio Games on Sunday when she became the first athlete from Kosovo to win an Olympic medal after claiming gold in the women's judo. Kelmendi, ranked second in her -52kg weight class, defeated Italy's Odette Giuffrida in a closely-fought contest.

The 25years old saw off No 10 seed Giuffrida with a single point from a yuko that had initially been judged to be a more valuable waza-ari. Rio is the first Olympics at which athletes are competing under the flag of Kosovo, which proclaimed independence from Serbia in 2008 and was accepted as a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2014.

Kelmendi, a two-times world champion, was Kosovo's flag bearer at Friday's opening ceremony but represented Albania at the London Games in 2012 where she failed to win a medal.