Venla Luukkonen
{{short description|Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner from Finland}}
{{good article}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=February 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox martial artist
| name = Venla Luukkonen
| image = Bjj champion venla luukkonen swedish open 2018.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Luukkonen after winning the 2018 Swedish Open BJJ
| birth_name = Venla Orvokki Luukkonen{{cite web | title=Venla Luukkonen – Fighter Page | website=Tapology| url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/226374-venla-luukkonen }}
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1984|03|2}}{{cite web | title=Venla Luukkonen | website=BJJ Heroes | date=21 July 2015 | url=https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-fighters/venla-luukkonen}}
|nationality = Finnish
| residence =
| team = {{ubl|Grapplingverkstan Örebro IF|Hilti BJJ Jyvaskyla}}
| rank = {{Plainlist}}
- BJJ black belt
{{Endplainlist}}
| trainer = Pedro Duarte
| weight_class = Super Heavyweight{{ubl|
Gi: {{convert|+79.3|kg|lb|abbr=on}}|
No-Gi: {{convert|+76.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}}}
| style = Brazilian jiu-jitsu
| occupation = {{ubl|BJJ instructor|Primary school teacher}}
| university = University of Jyväskylä
(PhD, Education)
| relatives =
| students =
| school =
| website = {{official website|https://grapplingverkstan.se/|name=Grappling Verkstan}}
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | {{Flagu|Finland}} }}
{{MedalSport | Submission wrestling}}
{{MedalCompetition | ADCC Sweden Tournament 8}}
{{MedalGold | 2022 Eskilstuna, Sweden | +60kg}}
{{MedalSport | Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu}}
{{MedalCompetition | World Championship}}
{{MedalSilver | 2019 California, USA | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalGold | 2018 California, USA | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalSilver | 2017 California, USA | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalSilver | 2016 California, USA | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalBronze | 2015 California, USA | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalGold | 2014 California, USA | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition | European Championship}}
{{MedalBronze | 2020 Lisbon, Portugal | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalBronze | 2019 Lisbon, Portugal | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalSilver | 2018 Lisbon, Portugal | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalSilver | 2017 Lisbon, Portugal | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalSilver | 2016 Lisbon, Portugal | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalSilver | 2015 Lisbon, Portugal | +79.3 kg}}
{{MedalCompetition | European No-Gi Championship}}
{{MedalGold | 2015 Rome, Italy | +76.5 kg}}
{{MedalGold | 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.{{cite web | title=Jiujitsu World Champion: I like to sleep on the mat| website=Yle Uutiset | date=12 June 2014 | url=http://yle.fi/uutiset/tuore_jujutsu-maailmanmestari_tykkaan_nujuta_matossa/7294876 | language=fi}} 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
Venla Orvokki Luukkonen was born on 2 March 1984 in Espoo, Finland. 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. The following year Luukkonen won gold at the 2012 European Championship.{{cite web | title=European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2012 | website=European Jiu-Jitsu IBJJF Championship 2012 | url=https://ibjjf.com/events/results/2012-european-jiu-jitsu-ibjjf-championship}} 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.{{cite web | title=ADCC European Championship 2013 • ADCC NEWS | website=adcombat.com | date=29 April 2013 | url=https://adcombat.com/adcc-events/adcc-european-championship-2013-results}} In 2014 she received double gold by winning both heavyweight division and absolute (openweight) at the European Championship.
Black belt career
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.{{cite web |date=2 June 2014 |title=Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Championship 2014 Results |url=https://www.bjjheroes.com/bjj-news/2014-bjj-world-championship-results-ibjjf |website=BJJ Heroes – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Team History, Fighter Stats, Biographies and News}} She became the first Finn to win a world championship at black belt level.
In 2015 Luukkonen won gold at the European No-Gi Championship in two categories, superheavy and absolute,{{cite web |title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu No-gi Championship 2015 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/377/PublicResults |website=International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation}} she also won silver at the European Championship then won bronze at the World Championship fighting under team Hilti BJJ Jyvaskyla.{{cite web |title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2015 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/415/PublicResults |website=International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation}} 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 +{{convert|60|kg|lbs}} division{{cite web |date=15 May 2017 |title=2nd ADCC European Trials 2017 – Results • ADCC NEWS |url=https://adcombat.com/adcc-events/2nd-adcc-european-trials-2017-results |website=Home Page • ADCC NEWS}} and was invited to compete at the 2017 ADCC World Championship taking place in Finland that year.{{cite web |date=19 September 2017 |title=Kid Peligro Jiu-Jitsu News . . . ADCC 2017: A look at the Ladies Over 60KG division • ADCC NEWS |url=https://adcombat.com/kid-peligro-jiu-jitsu-news-adcc-2017-a-look-at-the-ladies-over-60kg-division3 |website=adcombat.com}}
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.{{cite web |date=11 May 2019 |title=Tayane Porfirio Suspended For 4 Years Following Doping Test Results |url=https://www.bjjee.com/articles/tayane-porfirio-suspended-for-4-years-following-doping-test-results |website=Bjj Eastern Europe}} In July 2018, competing in grappling at Polaris 7, Luukkonen won a No-Gi match against Samantha Cook via split judges decision.{{cite web |date=15 July 2018 |title=Polaris 7 Results |url=https://www.attacktheback.com/polaris-7-results |website=Attack The Back}}
In addition to the Swedish Open that she won in 2018,{{cite web | title=Results, Swedish Open BJJ 2018 | website=Smoothcomp | date=11 February 2022 | url=https://sbjjf.smoothcomp.com/en/event/422/results}} Luukkonen won silver at the 2018 European Open.{{cite web | last=Scandinavia | first=BJJ | website=BJJ Scandinavia | date=22 January 2018 | title=Highlight Of Scandinavian Medals at the 2018 Ibjjf European Championship|url=http://www.bjjscandinavia.com/2018/01/22/highlight-scandinavian-medals-2018-ibjjf-european-championship}} Luukkonen trains in both Finland and Sweden, she represents Hilti Akademi Nord, where she is one of the head instructors.{{cite web | last=Scandinavia | first=BJJ | title=Interview with Venla Luukkonen: Finland's first adult black belt world champion! | website=BJJ Scandinavia | date=9 June 2014 | url=http://www.bjjscandinavia.com/2014/06/10/interview-with-venla-luukkonen-finlands-first-adult-black-belt-world-champion}} In 2019 she won silver at the World Championship after facing Claudia do Val in the final.{{cite web |title=Claudia DoVal vs. Venla Luukkonen, 2019 World IBJJF |url=https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/436285-2019-world-ibjjf-jiu-jitsu-championship-claudia-doval-vs-venla-luukkonen |website=Tapology}} 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,{{cite web | title=Venla Luukkonen – Fighter profile | website=Smoothcomp | date=1 February 2022 | url=https://smoothcomp.com/en/profile/1052 }} that same year, competing under Grapplingverkstan Örebro IF, she became Swedish champion after winning in September the SBJJF BJJ 2022.{{cite web |date=24 September 2022 |title=Svenska mästarna i BJJ 2022 |url=https://www.budokampsport.se/2022/09/24/svenska-mastarna-i-bjj-2022/ |website=Svenska Budo & Kampsportsförbundet |language=sv}}
Personal life
Luukkonen is married to fellow black belt Hanna Hirvonen. 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.{{cite web | title=venlaorvokki ig | website= Instagram | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb-uMXnD7XR/ | ref={{sfnref | venlaorvokki Instagram }}}}
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitive summary
Main Achievements at black belt level:Competitive summary
- {{cite web |title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2014 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/272/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2015 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/415/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2016 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/535/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2017 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/730/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/926/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web|title=World IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2019|url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/1209/PublicResults|website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web|title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2015|url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/352/PublicResults|website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2016 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/490/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2017 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/652/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2018 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/849/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2019 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/1077/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- {{cite web |title=European IBJJF Jiu-jitsu Championship 2020 |url=https://www.ibjjfdb.com/ChampionshipResults/1415/PublicResults |website=IBJJF}}
- 2 x IBJJF World Champion (2018 / 2014)
- 2 x IBJJF European Champion No-Gi (2015{{efn|name=Weight and absolute|Weight and absolute}})
- 2nd place IBJJF European Championship (2018 / 2017 / 2016 / 2015)
- 2nd place IBJJF World Championship (2019/2017/2016)
- 3rd place IBJJF World Championship (2015)
- 3rd place IBJJF European Championship (2020 / 2019)
Main Achievements (Coloured Belts):
- IBJJF World Champion (2013 brown)
- 3 x IBJJF European Champion (2014{{efn|name=Weight and absolute}} brown, 2012 purple)
- 2nd place IBJJF World Championship (2012 purple, 2010 Blue)
- 3rd place IBJJF World Championship (2011 purple)
Notes
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References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Luukkonen, Venla}}
Category:Finnish practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Category:People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Category:World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship medalists
Category:World No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship medalists
Category:Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champions (women)
Category:Female Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners
Category:LGBTQ Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners
Category:Sportspeople from Espoo
Category:European No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championship medalists