Krasniqi survives late surge from Buchard to claim another European crown

The -52 kg final at the 2026 European Championships in Tbilisi delivered exactly the kind of contest fans hoped for. Distria Krasniqi and Amandine Buchard, rivals with plenty of history, produced a sharp and tactical battle with real intensity from the opening exchange. In the end, Krasniqi held firm and left with a fourth continental title.

The key moment came almost immediately. Krasniqi used ashi-waza to score early, giving herself the lead on the first attack and forcing Buchard to chase the match. That opening score changed the tone of the final, because Krasniqi then managed the distance and pace with impressive control.

Buchard never disappeared from the fight. The French judoka focused on the gripping battle, trying to create space and find a rhythm that could unlock her attacks. Krasniqi, though, stayed disciplined in defence, worked well through transitions and refused to let the contest drift into Buchard’s preferred pattern.

Krasniqi struck first and never let the final settle.

The tension rose sharply in the last minute. Buchard found another level, applied heavy pressure with a strong top grip and came close to putting Krasniqi off balance more than once. Two Shido against the Kosovan suddenly made the finish feel dangerous, and for a moment a third looked possible. But the score did not change again, and Krasniqi saw out the clock.

There were notable European medal performances elsewhere in the category too. Spain’s Ariane Toro Soler defeated Naomi Van Krevel of the Netherlands quickly in the first bronze contest, scoring two Waza-ari in about a minute and a half with ko-uchi-gari and ko-soto-gari.

In the second bronze match, Italy’s Odette Giuffrida responded well after losing her semi-final to Krasniqi. Against Hungary’s Reka Pupp, the contest went into extra time before Giuffrida finally scored Waza-ari early in the third minute of golden score. It was another medal for the Italian and a strong finish to a demanding day.

Source: EJU_News