Tokyo Olympics: Kosovo's Krasniqi denies Japan's Tonaki, wins judo gold

Krasniqi won on a throw with 20 seconds left, scoring a waza-ari and claiming a title that moved her to tears moments later.

Women's 48kg Judo gold medallist Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo during the medal ceremony in Tokyo on Saturday.

Distria Krasniqi beat Funa Tonaki in the women's 48-kilogram judo final on Saturday night, depriving Japan of its first gold medal in its home Olympics and winning Kosovo's second-ever medal.

Krasniqi won on a throw with 20 seconds left, scoring a waza-ari and claiming a title that moved her to tears moments later.

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Although Krasniqi was the top seed, she was severely challenged by the 4-foot-10 Tonaki, who beat a series of difficult opponents to reach the final.

Tonaki fell agonizingly short of claiming a gold medal in Japan's beloved, homegrown martial art. Her success would have provided a much-needed jolt of positivity for a nation still feeling profoundly ambivalent about these Olympics and discouraged by the scandals and coronavirus setbacks surrounding them.