Venla Luukkonen

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Venla Luukkonen
Bjj champion venla luukkonen swedish open 2018.jpg
Luukkonen after winning the 2018 Swedish Open BJJ.
BornVenla Orvokki Luukkonen[1]
(1984-03-02) 2 March 1984 (age 38)[2]
NationalityFinnish
Division
StyleBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu
TeamHilti BJJ Jyvaskyla
TrainerPedro Duarte
Rank
  •   black belt in BJJ
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2019 California, USA +79.3 kg
Gold medal – first place 2018 California, USA +79.3 kg
Silver medal – second place 2017 California, USA +79.3 kg
Silver medal – second place 2016 California, USA +79.3 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2015 California, USA +79.3 kg
Gold medal – first place 2014 California, USA +79.3 kg
European Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Lisbon, Portugal +79.3 kg
Bronze medal – third place 2019 Lisbon, Portugal +79.3 kg
Silver medal – second place 2018 Lisbon, Portugal +79.3 kg
Silver medal – second place 2017 Lisbon, Portugal +79.3 kg
Silver medal – second place 2016 Lisbon, Portugal +79.3 kg
Silver medal – second place 2015 Lisbon, Portugal +79.3 kg
European No-Gi Championship
Gold medal – first place 2015 Rome, Italy +76.5 kg
Gold medal – first place 2015 Rome, Italy Absolute

Venla Luukkonen (born 2 March 1984) is a Finnish grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. In 2014, she became the first Finnish female black belt and the first Finn to win the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship.[3] Since 2014, in addition to winning other major tournaments, Luukkonen reached the world championship final three more times, winning gold again in 2018.

Career[]

Venla Orvokki Luukkonen was born on 2 March 1984 in Espoo, Finland,[1] when she was one year old her family moved to Kuopio in Northern Savonia. After secondary school she started training in Capoiera followed by Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2008 at Jyväskylän Fight Club (Internationally known as Hilti BJJ Jyväskylä) while studying for a PhD in education. She received her blue belt in 2009 and won silver the following year at the 2010 IBJJF World Championship. After becoming a purple belt she won bronze at the 2011 World Championship followed by silver in 2012 as well as bronze at the 2012 European Championship. Luukkonen received her brown belt in 2012 becoming world champion for the firs time in 2013. In 2014 she received double gold by winning in the heavy and the absolute divisions at the European Championship, the same year she received her black belt from former World Champion Pedro Duarte, becoming the first Finnish female black belt.[2]

In 2014 she won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, the first Finnish native to do so at black belt level.[2] In 2015 Luukkonen won gold at the European No-Gi Championship in two categories and bronze at the World Championship. In 2016 and 2017 she reached the World Championship final winning silver both years before becoming world champion for the second time in 2018. In addition to national tournaments like the Swedish Open that she won in 2018,[4] Luukkonen has been a European championship medallist for six consecutive years since 2015. Luukkonen trains in both Finland and Sweden, she represents Hilti Akademi Nord, where she is one of the head instructors.[5] In January 2022 Luukkonen won gold at the ADCC Sweden Tournament 8 that took place in Eskilstuna, Sweden.[6]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary[]

Main Achievements at black belt level:[2]

Main Achievements (Coloured Belts):[2]

  • IBJJF World Champion (2013 brown)
  • 3 x IBJJF European Champion (2014 weight and absolute brown) (2012 purple)
  • 2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2012 purple, 2010 Blue)
  • 3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2011 purple)

Instructor lineage[]

Carlson Gracie > Murilo Bustamante > Pedro Duarte > Venla Luukkonen[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Venla Luukkonen - Fighter Page". Tapology. 2 March 1984.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Venla Luukkonen". BJJ Heroes. 21 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Jiujitsu World Champion: I like to sleep on the mat". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 12 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Results, Swedish Open BJJ 2018". Smoothcomp. 11 February 2022.
  5. ^ Scandinavia, BJJ (9 June 2014). "Interview with Venla Luukkonen: Finland's first adult black belt world champion!". BJJ Scandinavia.
  6. ^ "Venla Luukkonen - Fighter profile". Smoothcomp. 1 February 2022.
  7. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  8. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2014". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  9. ^ a b "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2015". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  10. ^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2016". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  11. ^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2017". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  12. ^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  13. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2019". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  14. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2017". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  15. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2016". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  16. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2015". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  17. ^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2020". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  18. ^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2019". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
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