Kelmendi defends her title, winning gold again in women's −52kg at the 2014 World Judo Championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
On 26 August 2014, Majlinda Kelmendi successfully defended her world title, winning gold in the women's −52 kg category at the World Judo Championships held in Chelyabinsk, Russia. This victory made her a two-time world champion, further establishing her dominance in the weight class and confirming that her 2013 title was no fluke.
By this point, Kosovo had gained increasing recognition in international sports federations, and Kelmendi's continued success helped accelerate the process toward full Olympic recognition, which Kosovo would achieve later that year through the International Olympic Committee. Her back-to-back world titles demonstrated remarkable consistency at the highest level of competitive judo, a sport requiring exceptional technical skill, strategic acumen, and physical conditioning.
The 2014 title also solidified her reputation among judo analysts and competitors as the technical benchmark in the −52 kg division heading into the Rio 2016 Olympic cycle. Her sustained excellence across multiple years set a standard of achievement that inspired a new generation of young judokas in Kosovo and the broader Balkan region, many of whom saw in Kelmendi proof that world-class athletic success was possible despite limited infrastructure and political recognition challenges.