Jujie Luan

As a former 4-time Olympic Fencer, Jujie is no stranger to the strategies of success. Her strength, tenacity, and fearlessness have led her to multiple Gold Medals, and not without triumphing boundless tribulations throughout her career. After competing with an actual stab wound and placing second in the 1977 World Junior Championships, Jujie continued on to achieve the highest distinction of Olympic Gold in Foil in 1984 with only 10 years experience in the sport.

Following her victory, Jujie immigrated to Canada without losing sight of her passion for Fencing and invested spare time in mastering the English language. Obstacles that immigration incurs were shattered by Jujie’s ambition and commitment to life-long learning. Today, this esteemed and celebrated Fencer runs a respected Fencing Club in Edmonton , mentoring over 300 athletes at all levels. Hear Jujie’s sought-out expertise about harnessing your corporate skill-set to gain advantage over your competitors. Jujie will inspire you as she shares her story in her hometown, equipping you with the lessons to professionally sweep success.

Jujie Luan began fencing at the age of 16. For most athletes 16 is too old to learn a new sport at a master level. Jujie was fit, having trained in volleyball, badminton and track and field. Still few could suspect that only one year after beginning fencing Jujie Luan would qualify for the Chinese National fencing team in women’s foil. Luan’s career is a story of success – nine time Chinese national champion, twice winner of the Asian Games, twice winner of the World University Games and numerous other medals on the world circuit. Her trail of victories reached its zenith in 1984 in Los Angeles where Jujie Luan won the Olympic Gold medal for Women’s Foil. At age 26, only ten years after picking up her foil, Jujie Luan had earned the highest honour available in the sport of fencing.

This is not to say that Luan led a charmed life. Certainly her speed, her wits and her strength helped her to reach the podium time and again – but what set Jujie apart was her determination. Before her Olympic medal made her famous Luan’s dedication made her a hero. She fenced through appendicitis, kidney problems and in 1977 she fenced through an actual stab wound. Fencing at the Junior World Championships Luan’s fencing arm, her left, was pierced by her opponent’s blade. Two and a half hours later, her arm blue from internal bleeding, Luan took the silver medal.

The same drive helped her to start a new life in Canada. Luan moved to Canada in 1989. She took English courses and taught fencing. Jujie Luan gained Canadian citizenship in 1994. Her competitive drive did not falter in her new home and from 1995 she showed impressively on national and world stages. In 2000 Jujie showed her persistence in the face of age as well as injury and competed in the Sydney Olympic Games at age 42 and as the mother of three children. If 2000 was about persistence, 2008 was about tenacity – Jujie Luan qualified for the Olympics for the fourth time and competed on home soil in Beijing at age 50. Not one to turn up a poetic moment, Luan competed at the World Master’s Games in the same year and won gold in Women’s Foil.

Competition has not been Luan’s only source of achievement. Since 1989 Luan has helped to foster the fencing community in Edmonton. She raised the Edmonton Fencing Club from a membership of 40 to one of over 300. Her students include Olympians, National Team members, Canada Winter Games competitors, Alberta Winter Games competitors and recreational fencers. Luan is devoted to them all, whether they are competing for medals or training to be more fit – she encourages everyone to do their best. She is a mother not only to her three children but to every fencer she has taught.

register for this Edmonton event >
return to all Edmonton speakers >