In what follows, Kelmendi reveals the course of the events that led to her retirement and how she is still working through processing a decision so tightly bound up in pain and pride.

Though her victories abound, the judoka shared exclusively with that her greatest career fight came not in the form of an opponent on the tatami, but from her own body.Ī devastating run of injuries and subsequent surgeries pushed the athlete to her absolute limit until she decided she could no longer continue with the mental anguish was causing her. But perhaps the real, shining jewel in her crown came at Rio 2016 when she became an Olympic gold medallist, and her country’s first ever. Kelmendi is widely regarded as one of her sport’s greatest ever athletes.

Judo’s star Majlinda Kelmendi has been called many things: Ambassador, heroine, symbol of hope.Īll her given titles carry great weight and, when you consider both the depth of Kelmendi’s achievements and the impact those conquests have had on the world and those looking up to her, you can see why.ĭuring the course of her career the Kosovan became a two-time world champion she conquered her continent to become a four-time European champion and, in a run of complete and utter dominance, she clinched the famed Paris Grand Slam title four years on the bounce earning her the IJF’s Best Female Judoka award in 2017.

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