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Venla Luukkonen

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Venla Luukkonen
Luukkonen after winning the 2018 Swedish Open BJJ
BornVenla Orvokki Luukkonen[1]
(1984-03-02) 2 March 1984 (age 40)[2]
NationalityFinnish
DivisionSuper Heavyweight
  • Gi: +79.3 kg (175 lb)
  • No-Gi: +76.5 kg (169 lb)
StyleBrazilian jiu-jitsu
Team
  • Grapplingverkstan Örebro IF
  • Hilti BJJ Jyvaskyla
TrainerPedro Duarte
Rank
Occupation
  • BJJ instructor
  • Primary school teacher[2]
UniversityUniversity of Jyväskylä
(PhD, Education)
SpouseHanna Hirvonen[2]
WebsiteGrappling Verkstan
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Submission wrestling
ADCC Sweden Tournament 8
Gold medal – first place 2022 Eskilstuna, Sweden +60kg
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 competitor and instructor. In 2014, she became the first Finnish female black belt and the first Finn to win the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship at black belt level.[3] Since 2014, in addition to winning several major tournaments, Luukkonen reached the world championship final three more times, winning gold again in 2018.

Early life

[edit]

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 from Kimmo Rautiainen in 2009 then won silver the following year at the 2010 IBJJF World Championship. After receiving her purple belt from Sauli Heilimö she won bronze at the 2011 World Championship and silver at the 2011 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship European Trials.[2] The following year Luukkonen won gold at the 2012 European Championship.[4] Luukkonen received her brown belt from Marko Leisten in 2012, becoming world champion for the first time in 2013 and winning silver again at the 2013 ADCC European Trials.[5] In 2014 she received double gold by winning both heavyweight division and absolute (openweight) at the European Championship.[2]

Black belt career

[edit]

Luukkonen received her black belt from former World champion Pedro Duarte on 22 February 2014, becoming the first Finnish female black belt. In 2014 she won the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship after submitting Andrea McComb Pereira via armlock in the final.[6] She became the first Finn to win a world championship at black belt level.[2]

In 2015 Luukkonen won gold at the European No-Gi Championship in two categories, superheavy and absolute,[7] she also won silver at the European Championship then won bronze at the World Championship fighting under team Hilti BJJ Jyvaskyla.[8] In 2016 and 2017 Luukkonen reached the World Championship and the European Championship finals, winning silver both years. Returning to No-Gi, she won bronze at the 2nd 2017 ADCC European Trials in the +60 kilograms (130 lb) division[9] and was invited to compete at the 2017 ADCC World Championship taking place in Finland that year.[10]

Luukkonen became world champion for the second time in 2018 after her opponent in the final, Tayane Porfírio, was disqualified by the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) for testing positive for nandrolone, a prohibited substance.[11] In July 2018, competing in grappling at Polaris 7, Luukkonen won a No-Gi match against Samantha Cook via split judges decision.[12]

In addition to the Swedish Open that she won in 2018,[13] Luukkonen won silver at the 2018 European Open.[14] Luukkonen trains in both Finland and Sweden, she represents Hilti Akademi Nord, where she is one of the head instructors.[15] In 2019 she won silver at the World Championship after facing Claudia do Val in the final.[16] In 2019 and 2020 she won bronze at the European Open. In January 2022 Luukkonen won the ADCC Sweden Tournament 8 that took place in Eskilstuna, Sweden,[17] that same year, competing under Grapplingverkstan Örebro IF, she became Swedish champion after winning in September the SBJJF BJJ 2022.[18]

Personal life

[edit]

Luukkonen is married to fellow black belt Hanna Hirvonen.[2] Together, they run Grappling Verkstan, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Submission Wrestling academy that they founded in 2022, as part of Hilti BJJ, based in Örebro, Sweden.[19]

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary

[edit]

Main Achievements at black belt level:[2][20]

Main Achievements (Coloured Belts):[2]

  • IBJJF World Champion (2013 brown)
  • 3 x IBJJF European Champion (2014[a] brown, 2012 purple)
  • 2nd place IBJJF World Championship (2012 purple, 2010 Blue)
  • 3rd place IBJJF World Championship (2011 purple)

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Weight and absolute

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Venla Luukkonen – Fighter Page". Tapology.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "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. ^ "European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2012". European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2012.
  5. ^ "ADCC European Championship 2013 • ADCC NEWS". adcombat.com. 29 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Championship 2014 Results". BJJ Heroes – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News. 2 June 2014.
  7. ^ "European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu No-gi Championship 2015". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  8. ^ "World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2015". International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation.
  9. ^ "2nd ADCC European Trials 2017 – Results • ADCC NEWS". Home Page • ADCC NEWS. 15 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Kid Peligro Jiu-Jitsu News . . . ADCC 2017: A look at the Ladies Over 60KG division • ADCC NEWS". adcombat.com. 19 September 2017.
  11. ^ "Tayane Porfirio Suspended For 4 Years Following Doping Test Results". Bjj Eastern Europe. 11 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Polaris 7 Results". Attack The Back. 15 July 2018.
  13. ^ "Results, Swedish Open BJJ 2018". Smoothcomp. 11 February 2022.
  14. ^ Scandinavia, BJJ (22 January 2018). "Highlight Of Scandinavian Medals at the 2018 Ibjjf European Championship". BJJ Scandinavia.
  15. ^ Scandinavia, BJJ (9 June 2014). "Interview with Venla Luukkonen: Finland's first adult black belt world champion!". BJJ Scandinavia.
  16. ^ "Claudia DoVal vs. Venla Luukkonen, 2019 World IBJJF". Tapology.
  17. ^ "Venla Luukkonen – Fighter profile". Smoothcomp. 1 February 2022.
  18. ^ "Svenska mästarna i BJJ 2022". Svenska Budo & Kampsportsförbundet (in Swedish). 24 September 2022.
  19. ^ "venlaorvokki ig". Instagram.
  20. ^ Competitive summary
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