Samir Bannout

Samir Bannout ( born November 7, 1955 in Beirut ) is a professional bodybuilder. As the " Lion of Lebanon " ( German: Lion of Lebanon) has become known Bannout won the 1983 title of Mr. Olympia.

Career

Bannout moved in his youth in the United States, to Detroit, where he began bodybuilding. 1974, at the age of 19, he became the youngest participant in the Mr. Universe competition part and finished in seventh place there. On professional level, he managed five years later by winning the heavyweight class at the World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships, which were held by the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness ( IFBB ). In 1980, he first participated in the Mr. Olympia contest and came there on the 15th rank.

After the ninth (1981) and fourth (1982 ) Bannout finally was in Munich in 1983 Mr. Olympia and thus won the highest honor in professional bodybuilding. As a trophy of him a bronze image of Eugen Sandow was traditionally presented. In the following years he took part in a total of seven times in the competition, but did not get through the sixth square. He is currently with Chris Dickerson (1982) and Dexter Jackson ( 2008) the only one who could win the title only once. In addition Bannout in 1984 blocked for three years by the Association IBFF because it is parallel to a contest of competing Association, World Amateur Body Building Association, participated.

In 1990, he won the Pittsburgh Pro Invitational his last title at the professional level. He then ended his career after 17 years. He was taken by the IBFF into the Hall of Fame in 2002. Bannout is married, has three children and currently resides in Los Angeles.