Who is Majlinda Kelmendi? Know all about only Olympic medalist of Kosovo, Bio, Net Worth, Career achievements, Parents, and more


Who is Majlinda Kelmendi? Know all about only Olympic medalist of Kosovo, Bio, Net Worth, Career achievements, Parents, and more

Majlinda Kelmendi

NameMajlinda Kelmendi
Date of Birth9th May 1991
BirthPlacePeja, Kosovo
Current World Ranking5th Place
Sports/EventWomen’s Judo (-52 Kg Category)
Major Achievements2016 Olympics Gold Medalist, World Championship Gold Medalist

Majlinda Kelmendi is one of the biggest names in the world of modern Judo. Her story from the small city Kosovo to the Olympic Gold medal podium is an inspiration for athletes all over the world. Kelmendi is one of the most dominating entities in women’s Judo and she won more than dozen gold medals in the international leagues.

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She is the G.O.A.T of -52 kg category in women’s judo and Kelmendi got recognition by winning the Gold Medal at the World Junior Championship in Paris in 2010. Then she won three Gold Medals in the IJF Grand Prix and represented Albania in the 2012 London Olympics.

Although, she failed to win a medal there but in the 2016 Rio Olympics she represented Kosovo, the International Olympic Committee recognized the Olympic Committee of Kosovo in 2014 and the country took part in Olympic Games for the first time.

Kelmendi was the flag bearer of Kosovo and in the Rio Olympics, she brings the first-ever and the only medal in Olympics for Kosovo, that too a Gold Medal in the -52 Kg category.

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Majlinda Kelmendi Bio

Majlinda Kelmendi
Majlinda Kelmendi

Majlinda Kelmendi is a Kosovan Judoka born on 9th May 1991, into an Albanian family in the city of Peja, which was then a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, now known as Kosovo. 

Her mother Fikrete was the first person in their family to try martial arts before her family stopped her from doing this at a young age. Her father Ismet is a former professional footballer and both her parents have supported her dream since Kelmendi’s childhood.

Majlinda Kelmendi Career Achievements

Kelmendi
Kelmendi

The Kosovan Judo Prodigy holds unbelievable records in the world of Judo. She holds seven Gold Medals in the IJF Grand Slam and Ten Gold Medals in the IJF Grand Prix. Kelmendi won World Championship in the year 2013 at Rio Di Janeiro and Bronze Medal in the 2019 Tokyo World Championship.

She is a three-time European Championship Gold Medalist and one-time European Games Gold Medalist. Kelmendi’s list of Gold Medals didn’t even end here; she is a Gold Medalist of 2013 Tyumen IJF World Masters and Bronze Medalist of 2021 Doha IJF World Masters.

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Due to the resistance of the International Olympic Committee, Kelmendi was unable to represent Kosovo at the London Olympics 2012, the IOC also turned down her request to take part as an independent athlete, that’s why she decided to represent Albania. Kelmendi lost her second fight and got ruled out of the London Olympics.

But after IOC gave recognition to the Olympic Committee of Kosovo in the year 2016, Majlinda Kelmendi became the flag bearer of Kosovo in the Rio Olympics Games and she brought the country its first-ever Olympic Medal. This medal put Kosovo on the map of the Olympic Games and the country has much hope from her while she’ll be representing it at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Majlinda Kelmendi Coach

Kelmendi and his coach
Kelmendi and his coach

Kelmendi is coached by Driton Kuka who is also a former Judo player for Kosovo and he is also the national coach of the national team. His coach was robbed of his Olympic dream in 1992 by the collapse of Yugoslavia because of that he never got a chance to represent Kosovo. After that he builds a Dojo in his country and started training young athletes, Kelmendi is also one of them.

Majlinda Kelmendi Net Worth

Kelmendi’s net worth is around $1.5 Million with most of her income coming through Judo competitions.

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Majlinda Kelmendi Parents

Majlinda Kelmendi
Majlinda Kelmendi

Kelmendi was born to her mother, Fikrete who is also a former mixed martial artist, and her father, Ismet who was a former Footballer. Both her parents encouraged the dream of their girl from an early age.

Q. When was Majlinda Kelmendi born?

Majlinda Kelmendi is a Kosovan Judoka born on 9th May 1991.

Q. How old is Majlinda Kelmendi?

Kelmendi is 30 years old.

Q. What is Majlinda Kelmendi’s net worth?

Majlinda Kelmendi’s net worth is around $1.5 Million.

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Q. In which year Majlinda Kelmendi won Olympic Gold Medal?

Kelmendi won the Gold Medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics Games.

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