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Cheick Sanou

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Cheick Sanou
Personal information
NicknameIron Biby
NationalityBurkinabé
Born (1992-04-20) April 20, 1992 (age 32)
Burkina Faso
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight170–185 kg (375–408 lb)[1]
Sport
SportStrongman
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

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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

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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

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  • 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

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  • 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

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  1. ^ "Cheick Sanou". strongmanarchives.com. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  2. ^ "From bullied to beloved: Burkina Faso's strongest man". France 24. 2018-11-26. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  3. ^ "WHO IS THE STRONGEST OVERHEAD PRESSER OF ALL TIME?". Giants Live. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  4. ^ "Most overhead presses of a person in one minute (male)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  5. ^ "Iron Biby: From fat-shamed boy to World's Strongest Man contender". BBC News. 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  6. ^ English, Nick (2018-01-16). "Iron Biby "Strict" Presses an Insane 220 Kilograms (485 Pounds)". BarBend. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  7. ^ "Meet Cheick Sanou, the Guinness World Record Holder for Most Overhead Presses". Archived from the original on 2019-09-05. Retrieved 2019-09-04.
  8. ^ "Iron Biby". Giants Live. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  9. ^ https://strongmanarchives.com/viewAthlete.php?id=352
  10. ^ https://strongmanarchives.com/viewAthlete.php?id=352
  11. ^ https://giants-live.com/news/hooper-wins-the-strongman-open-as-biby-breaks-log-record/
  12. ^ https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/1458378
  13. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhHNGU0okuA
  14. ^ "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.
  15. ^ "Iron Biby Breaks Axle Press World Record with 217kg Lift". BarBend. 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  16. ^ "260 Kilos – Did Iron Biby Just Make The Heaviest Push Press Ever?". June 2018.
  17. ^ "Iron Biby Records 240kg/529lb Standing Military Press". May 2020.
  18. ^ "Biby is Unstoppable 273kg : 602lbs! Press". 4 Jan 2023.
  19. ^ "Burkinabé Iron Biby crowned 2019 World Champion of Log Lift". 2019-04-09.
  20. ^ "Ultimate Strongman » USA's Hadge Fights Back to Win World Championship". 3 October 2016.
  21. ^ "A strong finish! World Tour Finals 2019 full results and round-up". Giants Live. 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  22. ^ "2014 WPC Worlds Results". worldpowerliftingcongress.com. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
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