Cheick Sanou
Personal information | |
---|---|
Nickname | Iron Biby |
Nationality | Burkinabé |
Born | Burkina Faso | April 20, 1992
Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) |
Weight | 170–185 kg (375–408 lb)[1] |
Sport | |
Sport | Strongman |
Competition record | ||
---|---|---|
Strongman | ||
Representing Burkina Faso | ||
Giants Live | ||
4th | 2017 World Tour Finals | |
8th | 2018 World Tour Finals | |
6th | 2019 Giants Live World Tour Finals | |
3rd | 2021 Strongman Classic | |
World's Ultimate Strongman | ||
12th | 2018 World's Ultimate Strongman | |
11th | 2019 World's Ultimate Strongman | |
Ultimate Strongman | ||
8th | 2016 World Championships | |
The World Log Lift Championships | ||
1st | 2018 | |
1st | 2019 | |
1st | 2022 | |
1st | 2023 | |
1st | 2024 | |
Representing Canada | ||
Giants Live | ||
7th | 2017 North American Open | |
Powerlifting | ||
Representing Burkina Faso | ||
WPC Junior Championships | ||
1st | 2014 |
Cheick Ahmed al-Hassan Sanou, also known as Iron Biby, is a strongman from Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.[2] As the current world record holder in the maximum Log Lift, Axle Press (using push-press method), and also the heaviest weight ever pressed overhead, Sanou is regarded as one of the greatest overhead pressers of all time.[3] He is also a five-time World Log Lift Champion and holds the Guinness World record for most overhead presses (of a person) in one minute.[4]
Early life
Sanou was born in Burkina Faso and was a large child who was bullied at school; he earned the nickname "Biby" at an early age. He had early interests in sprinting, gymnastics, and basketball.[5] At age 17 he attended the University of Moncton, in Canada and earned a Business administration degree. During that period, he began his journey in weightlifting, showcasing exceptional talent early on.[6] In 2013, at age 21, Biby entered and won his first powerlifting competition.[7] Following his achievements in strongman, he acquired the moniker "Iron Biby".[8]
Strongman Career
Sanou entered his first strongman competition in 2016, the Ultimate Strongman Junior World Championships in Canada. There, he placed 3rd.[9] He progressed quickly in the sport, entering his first two Giants Live shows the following year.
Although Sanou has not had any major wins in multi-event competitions, he has gained a reputation as one of the greatest pressers in the world. He has won the Giants Live World Log Lift Championship record five times.[10] He has set several world records in the log press and axle press--he has held the log press record three separate times, most recently improving it by lifting 231 kg (509 lbs) at the Giants Live World Log Lift Championship in 2024.[11]
Sanou has often struggled to train conventionally in his home country of Burkina Faso. He claimed to eat as many as eight chickens a day to maintain his weight throughout training.[12] He has claimed that he does not use anabolic steroids.[13]
While in Burkina Faso, Sanou often trains past midnight as it is too hot to train during the day.
Personal records
- Log press – 231 kg (509 lb) (World Record) 2024 GL world tour finals
- → Sanou has broken this world record a total of three times, and has also done 233.5 kg (515 lb) during training[14]
- Axle press – 217 kg (478 lb) (former world record) 2021 GL Strongman Classic[15]
- Push press – 260 kg (573 lb) (Unofficial World Record)[16]
- Strict press – 240 kg (529 lb) (Unofficial World Record)[17]
- Seated shoulder press – 273 kg (602 lb) (Unofficial World Record/ Heaviest overhead press of all time)[18]
- Deadlift (Equipped with straps) – 425 kg (937 lb) (2024 Giants Live USA Strongman Championships)
Career achievements
- 1st Place at the 2018 World Log Lift Championships - 213 kg (470 lb) (tied with Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson and Eddie Hall) broke the African record
- 1st Place at the 2019 World Log Lift Championships - 220 kg (485 lb)[19]
- 1st Place at the 2022 World Log Lift Championships - 218 kg (481 lb) (tied with Luke Stoltman)
- 1st Place at the 2023 World Log Lift Championships - 230 kg (507 lb) broke the World Record
- 1st Place at the 2024 World Log Lift Championships - 231 kg (509 lb) broke the World Record
- 3rd Place at the 2021 Giants Live Strongman Classic
- 3rd Place at the 2016 Ultimate Strongman Junior World Championships[20]
- 4th Place at the 2017 Giants Live World Tour Finals
- 5th Place at the 2019 Giants Live World Tour Finals[21]
- 1st Place in World Powerlifting Championship (junior class) (2014), both in bench press (217.5 kg) and deadlift (307.5 kg) at age 22[22]
References
- ^ "Cheick Sanou". strongmanarchives.com. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
- ^ "From bullied to beloved: Burkina Faso's strongest man". France 24. 2018-11-26. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "WHO IS THE STRONGEST OVERHEAD PRESSER OF ALL TIME?". Giants Live. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
- ^ "Most overhead presses of a person in one minute (male)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "Iron Biby: From fat-shamed boy to World's Strongest Man contender". BBC News. 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ English, Nick (2018-01-16). "Iron Biby "Strict" Presses an Insane 220 Kilograms (485 Pounds)". BarBend. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "Meet Cheick Sanou, the Guinness World Record Holder for Most Overhead Presses". Archived from the original on 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
- ^ "Iron Biby". Giants Live. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ https://strongmanarchives.com/viewAthlete.php?id=352
- ^ https://strongmanarchives.com/viewAthlete.php?id=352
- ^ https://giants-live.com/news/hooper-wins-the-strongman-open-as-biby-breaks-log-record/
- ^ https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/1458378
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhHNGU0okuA
- ^ "Watch Iron Biby Do Massive Military Press - Part III (233.5kg/ 514 lbs Unofficial all Time log lift World record was done this year during my prep for World log lift Championship)". www.generationiron.com. 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ "Iron Biby Breaks Axle Press World Record with 217kg Lift". BarBend. 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ^ "260 Kilos – Did Iron Biby Just Make The Heaviest Push Press Ever?". June 2018.
- ^ "Iron Biby Records 240kg/529lb Standing Military Press". May 2020.
- ^ "Biby is Unstoppable 273kg : 602lbs! Press". 4 Jan 2023.
- ^ "Burkinabé Iron Biby crowned 2019 World Champion of Log Lift". 2019-04-09.
- ^ "Ultimate Strongman » USA's Hadge Fights Back to Win World Championship". 3 October 2016.
- ^ "A strong finish! World Tour Finals 2019 full results and round-up". Giants Live. 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "2014 WPC Worlds Results". worldpowerliftingcongress.com. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
External links