Lucion Pushparaj
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Lucion Anton Pushparaj, (born September 10, 1982) also spelled Lucian Pushparaj, nicknamed Black Lion of Asia, is a Sri Lankan male IFBB
professional bodybuilder Professional bodybuilding or pro bodybuilding can refer to bodybuilding for an income and/or possessing qualifications such as an IFBB Pro, IFBB Elite Pro or WNBF Pro League or Wabba International Pro Card. A professional bodybuilder may be on ...
. On 16 December 2018, he became the first Sri Lankan to win the WBPF World Championship title, and was crowned WBPF Mr. Universe. He is also the first Sri Lankan Bodybuilder to participate in the IFBB Pro Arnold Classic Amateur, where he came in 4th place.


Early life

Pushparaj was born on September 10, 1982, in
Ja-Ela Ja-Ela (, ) is a town, located approximately north of the city centre of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Ja-Ela lies on the A3 highway (Sri Lanka), A3 road which overlaps with the E03 expressway (Sri Lanka), Colombo – Katunayake Expressway at the Ja-Ela I ...
. He received his primary education from St. Xavier Maha Vidyalaya, and his secondary education from Basilica College, Ragama. In school, Pushparaj was an active athlete, taking part in athletics, volleyball, cricket, winning at the all-island level. Subsequently, he became a fitness instructor at various gyms and tried his hand at Pro bodybuilding. Despite the difficulties and discrimination he faced, he managed to fund himself, train and compete.


Physical statistics

*Height: - 5'10" *Contest weight: - 100 kg *Off-season weight: - 110 kg *Chest: - 51" (contest shape) *Arms: - 19.5" (contest shape)


Career


2012-2013

Lucion is a bodybuilder, who has competed at both national and international levels since receiving his IFBB Pro status in 2012. He participated in his first major international competition in 2013, which was an IFBB Pro Championship in
Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...
.


2014

Pushparaj won a gold medal in the 2014 Mr. Sri Lanka Contest. Later that year, Pushparaj won a silver medal in the AFBF 48th Asian Championship ( IFBB). In 2014, He also participated in the US-based Mr. and Mrs. Atlas and Fitness Expo Contest, becoming the first Sri Lankan to do so, and placed fourth


2016-2018

In 2016, Pushparaj placed first in the Open Weightlifting Championship in Oman (Under 100 kg), and later took third place at the Wawan Classic Expo International Bodybuilding Championship 2016 in
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
. In 2017, he won a gold medal in the 51st Asian Bodybuilding and Physiques Sports Festival in South Korea, and was titled Mr Asia. Following his 2017 win in Thailand, Pushparaj received a house and a sum of Rs. 1 million, by the Housing and Constructing Minister at the time,
Sajith Premadasa Sajith Premadasa (, ; born 12 January 1967) is a Sri Lankan politician. He is the current Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka and a Member of Parliament for the Colombo District. He is the current leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. Saji ...
. In 2018, he then went on to secure a silver medal at the IFBB Austrian International Bodybuilding Championship, held on 19 May 2018. Pushparaj was named World Champion in the over 100 kg category at the 10th World Bodybuilding Championship held in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
,
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
on 16 December 2018, where he was also titled Mr Universe. In March 2019, he received the Popular Sports Personality of the Year as a part of the Newsfirst Platinum Awards.


2020-Present

In May 2020, Pushparaj participated in the
Super Heavyweight Super heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and bodybuilding, competitive bodybuilding. Boxing In amateur boxing, the super heavyweight division is a weight class division for fighters weighing in excess of 91 kilograms (200 pounds). Int ...
division at the Arnold Amateur competition and placed fourth overall.


Issues with Local IFBB Elite Pro & SLBF Corruption

Pushparaj faced several issues with the local Sri Lankan Bodybuilding Federation (SLBF). Arguably, this was due to a conflict with the SLBF over his criticism of the body's support of the IFBB Elite Pro. Pushparaj accused the IFBB Elite Pro of being a corrupt body, especially in Sri Lanka. As a result, the SLBF withdrew their sponsorship funding from his events, leading Pushparaj to cover his own flight tickets and other associated costs, despite his previous successes. There was no official welcome when he arrived in Sri Lanka after winning the WBPF in 2017. Pushpraj claims that the SLBF attempted to have him banned by contacting the Global Bodybuilding Organization, which organized the 2017 Mr Atlas competition in Los Angeles, which is the reason why his VISA was initially rejected. SLBF then accused Pushparaj of using banned substances. He denied the allegations and accused the federation of attempting to tarnish his image and prevent him from taking part in international events representing Sri Lanka. Despite these challenges, Pushparaj continues to represent Sri Lanka internationally, by super-ceding the SLBF and being represented by the globally ranked WBPF.


Contest history

* 2012 - Earned IFBB pro card * 2013 - 1st (Gold) - IFBB Pro Championship in Oman * 2014 - 1st (Gold) - Mr. Sri Lanka Contest * 2014 - 2nd (Silver) - AFBF 48th Asian Championship ( IFBB) (100 KG Category) * 2014 - 4th Place - Mr & Mrs Atlas and Fitness Expo Contest * 2014 - 1st (Gold) - Open Weightlifting Championship in Oman (Under 100 kg) * 2016 - 3rd (Bronze) - Wawan Classic Expo International Bodybuilding Championship 2016, held in Kuwait. * 2017 - 1st (Gold) Mr Asia Overall Champion - 51st Asian Bodybuilding and Physiques Sports Festival in South Korea * 2018 - 2nd (Silver) - IFBB Austrian International Bodybuilding Championship * 2018 - 1st (World champion- Mr Universe) - 10th WBPF World Championship (100 kg+ category), in Bangkok, Thailand * 2020 - 4th Place - IFBB Pro Arnold Classic Amateur - Super Heavyweight Division


Awards

* 2019 - Popular Sports Personality of the Year - Newsfirst Platinum Awards * 2020 - 10th WBPF World Championship


See also

*
List of male professional bodybuilders This is a list of male professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders. A * Fouad Abiad * Manohar Aich, "Pocket Hercules" * Abdulhadi Al-Khayat * Achim Albrecht * Troy Alves * Charles Atlas * Art Atwood * Dayo Audi B * Jim Badra * William Bankie ...


References


External links

* *
WBPF - Official Website


{{DEFAULTSORT:Pushparaj, Lucion Living people Sri Lankan Tamil people Professional bodybuilders Sri Lankan bodybuilders 1982 births Bodybuilding in Sri Lanka Sri Lankan male weightlifters