Leonidas Sabanis

Leonidas Sabanis (Greek: Λεωνίδας Σαμπάνης, Albanian: Luan Shabani; born 28 October 1971), sometimes spelled Leonidas Sampanis, is a Greek retired[2] weightlifter, born in southern Albania, who represented Greece in 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. He has also been a World Champion representing Greece. He was named the 1998 Greek Male Athlete of the Year.

Leonidas Sabanis
Personal information
Born28 October 1971 (1971-10-28) (age 51)
Korçë, Albania[1]
Medal record
Men's Weightlifting
Representing  Albania
European Championships
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Athens – 56 kg
Representing  Greece
Summer Olympics
Silver medal – second place1996 Atlanta– 59 kg
Silver medal – second place2000 Sydney– 62 kg
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1995 Guangzhou – 59 kg
Gold medal – first place 1998 Lahti – 62 kg
Silver medal – second place 1999 Athens – 62 kg
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1996 Stavanger – 59 kg
Silver medal – second place 1997 Rijeka – 59 kg
Silver medal – second place 1998 Riesa – 62 kg
Silver medal – second place 1999 La Coruña – 62 kg
Gold medal – first place 2002 Antalya – 62 kg

Early life and career

Sabanis was born Luan Shabani on 28 October 1971 in southern Albania to a Greek family.[2]

Results representing Albania

At the European Championship in Athens, Greece, in 1989, Sabanis represented Albania as Luan Shabani and won a bronze (big) medal in the 56 kg category. He was the first to win a medal at a European Championship for Albania.[3] A year later, at the European Championship in Aalborg (Denmark) in 1990, Sabanis won a silver (big) medal, and the first such medal for Albania.[4][5]

Results representing Greece

Sabanis emigrated to Greece in 1991 and represented Greece starting from 1993. He won a silver medal in the 59 kg category at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States and in the 62 kg category in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Sabanis was originally awarded a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, but the medal was later stripped from him as a result of a doping scandal.[6]

References
  1. Hē doxa tou athlētismou : hē historia tou Hellēnikou athlētismou kai hoi diethneis tou epitychies. [Dēmos Athēnaiōn]: Politismikou Organismou tou Dēmou Athēnaiōn. 2002. p. 10. ISBN 9789607401526. Retrieved 4 November 2021. Ο Λεωνίδας Σαμπάνης γεννήθηκε ανήμερα της εθνικής επετείου της 28ης Οκτωβρίου το 1971 στην Κορυτσά της Βόρειας Ηπείρου
  2. "ANT1-Radio". hri.org. Retrieved 28 September 2013.
  3. "European Championships From 1907 to Today". Childovski.
  4. "Eurolympic History of Albania". www.eurolympic.org. December 2004. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
  5. "European Championships From 1907 to Today". Childovski.
  6. "Ancient Olympia's First Female Winner Stripped of Medal". USA Today. Associated Press. August 23, 2004. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
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