Cheick Sanou

Last updated
Cheick Sanou
Personal information
NicknameIron Biby
NationalityBurkinabé
Born (1992-04-20) April 20, 1992 (age 33)
Burkina Faso
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight170–185 kg (375–408 lb) [1]
Sport
Sport Strongman
Competition record
Strongman
Representing Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso
Giants Live
4th2017 World Tour Finals
8th2018 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
8th2016 World Championships
Representing Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
Giants Live
7th2017 North American Open
Powerlifting
Representing Flag of Burkina Faso.svg  Burkina Faso
WPC Junior Championships
1st2014

Cheick Ahmed al-Hassan Sanou, also known as Iron Biby, is a Burkinabe strongman. [2] He is five-time World Log Lift Champion and holds the Guinness World record for most overhead presses (of a person) in one minute. [3]

Contents

As the current world record holder in the log clean and press, axle clean and press (using a strict press), and numerous unofficial records for other forms of overhead presses, Sanou is regarded as one of the strongest overhead pressers of all time. [4]

Early life

Sanou was born in Burkina Faso. He was a large child who was frequently bullied at school for his size; 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, where he 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, Sanou 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 a 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

→ Sanou has broken this world record a total of three times, and has also done 233.5 kg (515 lb) during training [15]
→ Even though it was surpassed in 2024 by Mitchell Hooper with 218 kg (481 lb), he utilized a split jerk technique hence Sanou's lift remains the heaviest using a strict press. [14]

Career achievements

References

  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. ↑ "Most overhead presses of a person in one minute (male)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  4. ↑ "WHO IS THE STRONGEST OVERHEAD PRESSER OF ALL TIME?". Giants Live. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  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. ↑ "Strongman Archives - Cheick Sanou".
  10. ↑ "Strongman Archives - Cheick Sanou".
  11. ↑ "Hooper Wins the Strongman Open as Biby Breaks Log Record!". 9 September 2024.
  12. ↑ "Reuters Archive Licensing".
  13. ↑ "This Guy Has the Strongest Grip in the World - Iron Biby". YouTube . 20 October 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 03 - Overhead presses". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
  15. ↑ "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.
  16. ↑ "Iron Biby Breaks Axle Press World Record with 217kg Lift". BarBend. 2021-07-26. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  17. ↑ "260 Kilos – Did Iron Biby Just Make The Heaviest Push Press Ever?". BarBend. June 2018.
  18. ↑ "Iron Biby Records 240kg/529lb Standing Military Press". May 2020.
  19. ↑ "Biby is Unstoppable 273kg : 602lbs! Press". YouTube . 4 Jan 2023.
  20. ↑ "Burkinabé Iron Biby crowned 2019 World Champion of Log Lift". 2019-04-09.
  21. ↑ "Ultimate Strongman » USA's Hadge Fights Back to Win World Championship". 3 October 2016.
  22. ↑ "A strong finish! World Tour Finals 2019 full results and round-up". Giants Live. 2019-09-08. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
  23. ↑ "2014 WPC Worlds Results". worldpowerliftingcongress.com. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
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