Jujie Luan ended a 12-year retirement from World Cup competition at age 40 last year and has qualified for her third Olympic Games. She competed at both he 1984 and 1988 Games for China winning the gold in women's foil in 1984. She moved to Canada in 1989 and started a coaching career. She continued to compete at the national level but it was only last year that she made a decision to pursue an Olympic spot by entering World Cup events.

 "Watching the others compete drove me crazy," said Luan, a nine-time national Chinese champion. "I decided to comeback just for fun and see what happens. Then I did a top-eight at a World Cup and suddenly I was fifty percent towards an Olympic berth."

 Unfortunately her late start will provide her a low ranking at the Olympics which means she'll face some of the top swordswomen in the early rounds. Luan will travel to China and train with national Chinese team members leading up to the Sydney Games. She has three children, a boy and two girls, ranging in age from 2-8.

2000 Games
Sept. 23: Women's team foil: Julie Mahoney, Montreal. Sherraine Schalm, Brooks, Alta., and Jujie Luan, Edmonton, lost 45-15 to Ukraine in first round, eliminated.
Sept. 21: Women's individual foil Jujie Luan, Edmonton, lost 15-8 to Seo Mi-jung in first round, eliminated.


2000 Games Fencing Coverage