Ten years after her historic triumph in Rio de Janeiro, Majlinda Kelmendi`s Olympic gold medal remains one of the greatest achievements in Kosovar sports. To mark this anniversary, coach Driton Kuka reflected on the moment that transformed the history of sports in Kosovo.

On August 7, 2016, Kosovar sports made history by winning its first Olympic gold medal during Kosovo's debut at the Olympic Games. Majlinda Kelmendi triumphed in the 52-kilogram judo category, standing atop the podium in Rio de Janeiro and securing the country’s greatest success in the Olympic arena.

In honor of this significant milestone, coach Driton Kuka shared a post on social media, recalling the journey to the gold medal. 

“We were four-time European Champions and two-time World Champions. However, there was always a ‘but’ from everyone we met. The Olympics were always the focus of those comments, and they were right. The Olympics are special. Ten years ago, we achieved the Olympic gold that we had been missing. We already had all the gold medals that could be won in sports,” Kuka wrote.

Majlinda Kelmendi’s success ushered in a new era for Kosovar judo. Under Driton Kuka's leadership, Kosovo has won medals at every Olympic Games in which it has participated.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Distria Krasniqi and Nora Gjakova won gold medals. In the Paris 2024 Games, Distria Krasniqi secured a silver medal, while Laura Fazliu earned a bronze medal, continuing the tradition of Kosovar judo's successes on the Olympic stage.