Luo Xuejuan
Encyclopedia
Luo Xuejuan is a female Chinese swimmer, who competed mostly in the breaststroke
. She is a former World Record holder in swimming, and in some meet results she is listed as "LUO Xue Juan".
Luo first caught attention when she won the 100 breast at China's 2000 Olympics Trials in Jinan in a solid time of 1:08.87 and finished second in the 200 breast in 2:27.29. Strangely, she was only selected to swim the 200 breast, her weaker event, at the 2000 Summer Olympics
a few months later. She posted a PB of 2:25.86 in the semi-finals, only to falter in the final and finish 8th in 2:27.33.
Going into 2001, Luo progressed rapidly. At the Chinese Nationals in April, she set a national record of 1:07.85 in the 100 breast and placed 2nd in the 200 breast (2:26.37) which was won by Qi Hui in a world record (2:22.99). Shortly afterwards, Luo lowered by 100 breast national record to 1:07.42 at the 2001 East Asian Games
in Osaka
.
At the 2001 World Championships
in Fukuoka
, Luo took home 4 medals, including gold in the 50 breast (30.84, Asian record, missing the WR by a mere 0.01 sec) and 100 breast (1:07.18, Asian record), and bronze in the 200 breast (2:25.29 pb) and 4x100 medley relay (4:02.53; breaststroke split 1:06.47 was the 2nd fastest ever, behind USA's Megan Quann's 1:06.29 from Sydney 2000). Luo went on to win the 100 breast at the 2001 Chinese National Games at 1:06.96 (Asian record). It was during these Games that she said her very well known quote, "The water in this pool is not very clean, but I am a clean swimmer myself" (referring to the series of astonishingly fast times posted by some totally unknown swimmers who were highly suspected of doping at the National Games).
The year 2002 did not start out well for Luo. She failed to win any gold at the World Short Course Championships
in Moscow, finishing 2nd in the 50 breast (30.17) and 3rd in the 100 breast (1:06.36). The Pan Pacific Championships were equally disappointing, where Luo only managed a bronze in the 100 (1:08.70) and was 4th in the 200. Ironically, her time in the 100 breast semi-final (1:08.14) would have been enough to win gold in the final.
Luo eventually shined at the 2002 Asian Games
in Busan
, winning gold in Asian records in the 100 breast (1:06.84, fastest time globally in 2002) and 4x100 medlay relay (4:00.21). She also placed 2nd in the 200 breast behind WR holder Qi Hui (2:24.01 to 2:24.67 pb).
Before the 2003 World Championships
in Barcelona
, Luo set her goal at erasing Penny Heyns' 1:06.52 from the world record books. The record was indeed broken in Barcelona, not by Luo but by Australia's 2000 Olympic silver medallist Leisel Jones
in the semi-finals (1:06.37). Luo, the defending champion, immediately became the underdog as she qualified 3rd fastest (1:07.76). In the event final, as all eyes (and pressure) were on Jones, Luo took the race out really hard, splitting a mind-boggling 30.87 at the 50m mark. This strategy worked as Jones was disturbed by Luo's horrid pace. Luo hanged on to win the race in yet another Asian record of 1:06.80, the 3rd fastest time in history. Jones only managed 3rd in 1:07.47, with the USA's Amanda Beard
2nd in 1:07.42. Luo also defended her 50 breast world title in 30.67 (30.64 in semi-finals, just 0.07 sec off the WR), and swam the fastest breaststroke relay split (1:05.79) to help China win the 4x100 medlay relay in 3:59.89 (Asian record and 2nd fastest time in history; 2nd team after the USA to crack 4 mins).
, where she earned a gold medal in the 100 breast in a new Olympic record of 1:06.64, the 3rd fastest time in history and just off the WR by 0.27 seconds (after qualifying 7th fastest in a mediocre 1:08.57), a remarkable feat considering that she was one of the slowest qualifiers for the final and swam in the outermost lane. Again Jones choked in the final and only managed a bronze (1:07.16), after setting an Olympic record of 1:06.78 in the semi-finals. Luo pulled out of the 200 breast race to concentrate on swimming the 4x100 medlay relay. Unfortunately the Chinese team only managed 4th place (4:03.35). Luo swam the race with a heartache problem and had to be helped to get out of the pool by her teammates after finishing her breaststroke leg (1:08.82).
, where she finished 5th in the 50 breast (31.15).
Luo failed to defend her 50 & 100 breast titles in the XI FINA World Swimming Championships
in Montreal
in 2005. She was 4th in 100 breast (1:07.60) and 7th in 50 breast (31.50). Yet this was understandable as Luo participated in the entire championships with an injured ankle but insisted on competing. She did win the 100 breast at the 2005 Chinese National Games though, posting the 3rd fastest time of the year (1:06.86). She also won silver in the 200 (2:26.50) behind Qi Hui, and posted the fastest relay split (1:05.69) in history when she swam the breaststroke leg for the Zhejiang team in the 4x100 medlay relay.
Luo was surprisingly upset by young teammate Wang Qun (1:08.56 to 1:09.14) at the 2005 East Asian Games
in Macau
, though she captured gold in the 50 breast (31.67).
The 2006 season saw Luo skipping all major international meets, including the World Short Course Championships
in Shanghai and the Pan Pacific Championships in Vancouver. Rumours started to build that Luo had quarrels with longtime coach Zhang Yadong (Zhang was appointed head coach of the Chinese national team and hence no longer has as much time and attention on coaching Luo as before). Luo was said to have been "exiled" back for training at her home province of Zhejiang, although the swimming authorities insisted that she was still a national team member. At the 2006 Asian Games Trials, Luo managed to win the 50 breast (31.75) and place 2nd in the 100 breast (1:09.14), but her name did not appear on the official list of athletes. The official explanation for not selecting the Olympic Champion is that Luo needed more time to fully rehabilitate her heart condition in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. The media was speculating that Luo was close to retirement.
Following her retirement, Luo resumed her university studies.
On 24 March 2008 Luo Xuejuan became the second torchbearer at the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
and the first torchbearer for China. She expressed her view on Olympic ideals as follows:"As a torchbearer, I think the Olympic spirit means purity, fair play, friendship, passion, peace and harmony."
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
. She is a former World Record holder in swimming, and in some meet results she is listed as "LUO Xue Juan".
Career
She began swimming in 1991 because her parents thought she was so thin that the exercise would make her stronger.Luo first caught attention when she won the 100 breast at China's 2000 Olympics Trials in Jinan in a solid time of 1:08.87 and finished second in the 200 breast in 2:27.29. Strangely, she was only selected to swim the 200 breast, her weaker event, at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
a few months later. She posted a PB of 2:25.86 in the semi-finals, only to falter in the final and finish 8th in 2:27.33.
Going into 2001, Luo progressed rapidly. At the Chinese Nationals in April, she set a national record of 1:07.85 in the 100 breast and placed 2nd in the 200 breast (2:26.37) which was won by Qi Hui in a world record (2:22.99). Shortly afterwards, Luo lowered by 100 breast national record to 1:07.42 at the 2001 East Asian Games
2001 East Asian Games
The 3rd East Asian Games were held in Osaka, Japan from May 19, 2001 to May 27, 2001.-Sports:The 2001 East Asian Games featured events in 15 sports, which was a new high for the competition.*Aquatics ** Swimming** Synchronized swimming** Diving...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
.
At the 2001 World Championships
2001 World Aquatics Championships
rightThe 2001 World Aquatics Championships or the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Fukuoka, Japan between 16 July and 29 July 2001....
in Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Luo took home 4 medals, including gold in the 50 breast (30.84, Asian record, missing the WR by a mere 0.01 sec) and 100 breast (1:07.18, Asian record), and bronze in the 200 breast (2:25.29 pb) and 4x100 medley relay (4:02.53; breaststroke split 1:06.47 was the 2nd fastest ever, behind USA's Megan Quann's 1:06.29 from Sydney 2000). Luo went on to win the 100 breast at the 2001 Chinese National Games at 1:06.96 (Asian record). It was during these Games that she said her very well known quote, "The water in this pool is not very clean, but I am a clean swimmer myself" (referring to the series of astonishingly fast times posted by some totally unknown swimmers who were highly suspected of doping at the National Games).
The year 2002 did not start out well for Luo. She failed to win any gold at the World Short Course Championships
2002 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 6th FINA Short Course World Championships were held in Moscow, Russia from Wednesday April 3 till Sunday April 7, 2002. The event took place in the 25m-pool of the renovated Olympiiski-complex, which also hosted the swimming event at the 1980 Summer Olympics...
in Moscow, finishing 2nd in the 50 breast (30.17) and 3rd in the 100 breast (1:06.36). The Pan Pacific Championships were equally disappointing, where Luo only managed a bronze in the 100 (1:08.70) and was 4th in the 200. Ironically, her time in the 100 breast semi-final (1:08.14) would have been enough to win gold in the final.
Luo eventually shined at the 2002 Asian Games
2002 Asian Games
The 2002 Asian Games, also known as XIV Asiad is a multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Busan is the second city, after Seoul in 1986 to host the Games. A total of 419 events in 38 sports were contested by 7,711 athletes from 44 countries...
in Busan
Busan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, winning gold in Asian records in the 100 breast (1:06.84, fastest time globally in 2002) and 4x100 medlay relay (4:00.21). She also placed 2nd in the 200 breast behind WR holder Qi Hui (2:24.01 to 2:24.67 pb).
Before the 2003 World Championships
2003 World Aquatics Championships
Barcelona, Spain was the host city of the X FINA World Aquatics Championships or the 10th FINA World Championships in Aquatics, which were held from July 12 until July 27, 2003....
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Luo set her goal at erasing Penny Heyns' 1:06.52 from the world record books. The record was indeed broken in Barcelona, not by Luo but by Australia's 2000 Olympic silver medallist Leisel Jones
Leisel Jones
Leisel Marie Jones OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer. A participant in the 2000 Summer Olympics – at just 15 years old – and 2004 Summer Olympics, she was part of gold medal winning Australian team in the women's 4 × 100 metre medley relay at the Athens Games in 2004 and a gold...
in the semi-finals (1:06.37). Luo, the defending champion, immediately became the underdog as she qualified 3rd fastest (1:07.76). In the event final, as all eyes (and pressure) were on Jones, Luo took the race out really hard, splitting a mind-boggling 30.87 at the 50m mark. This strategy worked as Jones was disturbed by Luo's horrid pace. Luo hanged on to win the race in yet another Asian record of 1:06.80, the 3rd fastest time in history. Jones only managed 3rd in 1:07.47, with the USA's Amanda Beard
Amanda Beard
Amanda Ray Beard is an American swimmer and a seven-time Olympic medalist . She is a former world record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke ....
2nd in 1:07.42. Luo also defended her 50 breast world title in 30.67 (30.64 in semi-finals, just 0.07 sec off the WR), and swam the fastest breaststroke relay split (1:05.79) to help China win the 4x100 medlay relay in 3:59.89 (Asian record and 2nd fastest time in history; 2nd team after the USA to crack 4 mins).
2004 Summer Olympics
Luo's career highlight was the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, where she earned a gold medal in the 100 breast in a new Olympic record of 1:06.64, the 3rd fastest time in history and just off the WR by 0.27 seconds (after qualifying 7th fastest in a mediocre 1:08.57), a remarkable feat considering that she was one of the slowest qualifiers for the final and swam in the outermost lane. Again Jones choked in the final and only managed a bronze (1:07.16), after setting an Olympic record of 1:06.78 in the semi-finals. Luo pulled out of the 200 breast race to concentrate on swimming the 4x100 medlay relay. Unfortunately the Chinese team only managed 4th place (4:03.35). Luo swam the race with a heartache problem and had to be helped to get out of the pool by her teammates after finishing her breaststroke leg (1:08.82).
After the Olympics
Shortly after the Olympics, Luo competed at the 2004 World Short Course Championships2004 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 7th FINA Short Course World Championships were held at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA from October 7 through October 11, 2004.-Freestyle:-Backstroke:-Breaststroke:-Butterfly:-Individual:-Relay:-Metal Table:...
, where she finished 5th in the 50 breast (31.15).
Luo failed to defend her 50 & 100 breast titles in the XI FINA World Swimming Championships
2005 World Aquatics Championships
The 2005 World Aquatics Championships or the XI FINA World Championships were held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 16 to July 31, 2005...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 2005. She was 4th in 100 breast (1:07.60) and 7th in 50 breast (31.50). Yet this was understandable as Luo participated in the entire championships with an injured ankle but insisted on competing. She did win the 100 breast at the 2005 Chinese National Games though, posting the 3rd fastest time of the year (1:06.86). She also won silver in the 200 (2:26.50) behind Qi Hui, and posted the fastest relay split (1:05.69) in history when she swam the breaststroke leg for the Zhejiang team in the 4x100 medlay relay.
Luo was surprisingly upset by young teammate Wang Qun (1:08.56 to 1:09.14) at the 2005 East Asian Games
2005 East Asian Games
The 4th East Asian Games was an international multi-sport event for countries in East Asia which was held in Macau, China from October 29 to November 6, 2005.-Sports:...
in Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, though she captured gold in the 50 breast (31.67).
The 2006 season saw Luo skipping all major international meets, including the World Short Course Championships
2006 FINA Short Course World Championships
The 8th FINA World Swimming Championships were held at the Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China from April 5 to April 9, 2006.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Backstroke:-Breaststroke:-Butterfly:-Individual Medley:-Relays:...
in Shanghai and the Pan Pacific Championships in Vancouver. Rumours started to build that Luo had quarrels with longtime coach Zhang Yadong (Zhang was appointed head coach of the Chinese national team and hence no longer has as much time and attention on coaching Luo as before). Luo was said to have been "exiled" back for training at her home province of Zhejiang, although the swimming authorities insisted that she was still a national team member. At the 2006 Asian Games Trials, Luo managed to win the 50 breast (31.75) and place 2nd in the 100 breast (1:09.14), but her name did not appear on the official list of athletes. The official explanation for not selecting the Olympic Champion is that Luo needed more time to fully rehabilitate her heart condition in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. The media was speculating that Luo was close to retirement.
Retirement and afterwards
On 24 January 2007 Luo announced in a press conference that she was retiring from competitive swimming due to a heart surgery failure. According to Luo, doctors advised that her life might be in jeopardy if she continued to train at the intensity required for Olympic-level athletes.Following her retirement, Luo resumed her university studies.
On 24 March 2008 Luo Xuejuan became the second torchbearer at the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
2008 Summer Olympics torch relay
The 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from March 24 until August 8, 2008, prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics, with the theme of "one world, one dream". Plans for the relay were announced on April 26, 2007, in Beijing, China...
and the first torchbearer for China. She expressed her view on Olympic ideals as follows:"As a torchbearer, I think the Olympic spirit means purity, fair play, friendship, passion, peace and harmony."