29 Facts About Luo Xuejuan

Luo Xuejuan is a female Chinese swimmer, who competed mostly in the breaststroke.

Luo Xuejuan is a former world record holder in the 50-meter breastroke.

Luo Xuejuan began swimming in 1991 because her parents thought she was so thin that the exercise would make her stronger.

Luo Xuejuan posted a personal best of 2:25.86 in the semi-finals, only to falter in the final and finish 8th in 2:27.33.

Shortly afterwards, Luo Xuejuan 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 Xuejuan took home 4 medals, including gold in the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke, and bronze in the 200 breaststroke and 4x100 medley relay.

Luo Xuejuan went on to win the 100 breaststroke at the 2001 Chinese National Games at 1:06.96.

Luo Xuejuan failed to win any gold at the World Short Course Championships in Moscow, finishing 2nd in the 50 breaststroke and 3rd in the 100 breaststroke.

The Pan Pacific Championships were equally disappointing, where Luo Xuejuan only managed a bronze in the 100 and was 4th in the 200.

Luo Xuejuan eventually shined at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, winning gold in Asian records in the 100 breaststroke and 4x100 medley relay.

Luo Xuejuan placed 2nd in the 200 breaststroke behind WR holder Qi Hui.

Luo Xuejuan, the defending champion, immediately became the underdog as she qualified 3rd fastest.

Luo Xuejuan hanged on to win the race in yet another Asian record of 1:06.80, the 3rd fastest time in history.

Luo Xuejuan defended her 50 breaststroke world title in 30.67, and swam the fastest breaststroke relay split to help China win the 4x100 medley relay in 3:59.89.

Luo Xuejuan pulled out of the 200 breaststroke race to concentrate on swimming the 4x100 medley relay.

Shortly after the Olympics, Luo Xuejuan competed at the 2004 World Short Course Championships, where she finished 5th in the 50 breaststroke.

Luo Xuejuan was 4th in 100 breaststroke and 7th in 50 breaststroke.

Yet this was understandable as Luo Xuejuan participated in the entire championships with an injured ankle but insisted on competing.

Luo Xuejuan did win the 100 breaststroke at the 2005 Chinese National Games though, posting the 3rd fastest time of the year.

Luo Xuejuan won silver in the 200 behind Qi Hui, and posted the fastest relay split in history when she swam the breaststroke leg for the Zhejiang team in the 4x100 medley relay.

Luo Xuejuan was surprisingly upset by young teammate Wang Qun at the 2005 East Asian Games in Macau, though she captured gold in the 50 breast.

The 2006 season saw Luo Xuejuan 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 Xuejuan had quarrels with longtime coach Zhang Yadong.

Luo Xuejuan 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 Xuejuan managed to win the 50 breaststroke and place 2nd in the 100 breaststroke, but her name did not appear on the official list of athletes.

The official explanation for not selecting the Olympic Champion is that Luo Xuejuan needed more time to fully rehabilitate her heart condition in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The media was speculating that Luo Xuejuan was close to retirement.

On 24 January 2007 Luo Xuejuan announced in a press conference that she was retiring from competitive swimming due to a heart surgery failure.

Luo Xuejuan became, on 24 March 2008, the second torchbearer at the 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay and the first torchbearer for China.