Krasniqi takes the ippon, the medal and the points.

From the first grip of the first contest of her day, Distria Krasniqi, the 2021 Olympic champion at -48 kg, dominated the arena at the 2025 Zagreb Grand Prix.

Big throws, sharp decisions and an unwavering confidence marked her performance. It was unlikely anyone could break her down although Hungarian Reka Pupp tried her best in the final.

Pupp began well with a number of fast attacks but Krasniqi looked unfazed no matter what was thrown at her. She was patient and methodical, avoiding any risk but maintaining positive movement, until the decisive moment came and she whipped Pupp to the tatami with a clean o-soto-gake. Krasniqi had the ippon, the medal and the points.

Thed women’s -48kg featured two European judokas – Laura Espadinha of France and and Eva Perez Soler of Spain.

Perez Soler won the first score from a counter, a small movement but enough to offer her the lead. A little while later she scored again, a ko-soto-gari delivering a second yuko.

She then went on the defensive and picked up two very fast penalties for negativity and almost took a third but was saved by the bell. But she had done enough to win the at the expense of Espadinha.

The women’s -57kg final was fought between Serbian Marica Perisic and Croatia’s own Ana Viktorija Puljiz. Taking a medal on the opening day is exactly what the hosts wanted as Puljiz arrived the crowd let their support be heard.

Despite an impressive pace from both judoka at the start, Puljiz couldn’t keep up and with 90 seconds to go she was caught with a seoi-otoshi for a yuko.

Not long after that, a second seoi-otoshi, with an unorthodox grip, rolled Puljiz on to her back and it was all over.

Perisic took the gold and hosts had to settle for the silver. The local spectators applauded loudly as Puljiz stepped on to the podium to claim her silver medal, still proud of their girl.

French duo Romain Valadier Picard and Enzo Jean contested for the lightest men’s category at the Grand Prix – the men’s -60kg.

It was an understandably close contest initially with each judoka picking up a penalty for a gripping infringement. Enzo Jean collected one more in the third minute, putting him under pressure. At this point Valadier Picard may have thought his job was done but then he seemed to give it away, attacking with a poorly placed seoi-otoshi.

Immediately Jean picked him up and rolled him all the way over the top, the landing earning a yuko. With only 41 seconds left on the clock, the scoreline did not change again and against the run of play Enzo Jean had his first grand prix gold.

The men’s -66 kg final produced some dynamic judo, an entertaining show of speed and diverse styles.

Italian Elios Manzi and Spaniard David Garcia Torne put on quite a show in the final with Garcia Torne delivering some particularly massive throws.

Their M.O. continued in the final, both looking for the big ippon win but ultimately it was Garcia Torne who took the gold medal. Using a kata-guruma that seemed to arrive from nowhere, he controlled the direction of his attack perfectly to claim the top prize.

RESULTS

Women’s

-48 kg

1. PEREZ SOLER Eva (ESP)

2. ESPADINHA Laura (FRA)

3. STOJADINOV Andrea (SRB)

3. PETIT Lois (BEL)

5. LIN Chen-Hao (TPE)

5. GHIGLIONE Giulia (ITA)

7. LABORDE Maria Celia (USA)

7. ALIYEVA Konul (AZE)

-52 kg

1. KRASNIQI Distria (KOS)

2. PUPP Reka (HUN)

3. GYERTYAS Roza (HUN)

3. STELLA Gaia (ITA)

5. PONT Blandine (FRA)

5. CONCEICAO Gabriela (BRA)

7. CHOPADE Shraddha Kadubal (IND)

7. VALIYEVA Aydan (AZE)

-57 kg

1. PERISIC Marica (SRB)

2. PULJIZ Ana Viktorija (CRO)

3. NDIAYE Binta (SUI)

3. TOMC Nika (SLO)

5. LOXHA Flaka (KOS)

5. TOPRAK Acelya (GBR)

7. VELLOZZI Ophelie (FRA)

7. ESTEVES Mariana (GUI)

Men

-60 kg

1. JEAN Enzo (FRA)

2. VALADIER PICARD Romain (FRA)

3. ALLAHYAROV Huseyn (AZE)

3. BARROSO LOPEZ Luis (ESP)

5. D ANGELO Biagio (ITA)

5. YOKOI Ren (JPN)

7. FECZKO Csanad (HUN)

7. LEUTGEB Daniel (AUT)

-66 kg

1. GARCIA TORNE David (ESP)

2. MANZI Elios (ITA)

3. PONGRACZ Bence (HUN)

3. YOTOV Boyan (BUL)

5. GAGO Miguel (POR)

5. NADIRADZE Lasha (GEO)

7. YOUNG Charlie (GBR)

7. KLACAR Dani (CRO)