Alex Shabunya began his gym training under Sergei Muchenko in 1995 before his 1998 IFBB debut (the same year where Ronnie Coleman of USA won his first Mr. Olympia).
Alex Shabunya (Belarusian:   , Russian:    ; born 4 October 1977 in Navapolatsk, Belarus) is a Belarusian professional bodybuilder. In 1995, Alex Shabunya started gym training. His first trainer was Sergei Muchenko. In 1998, Shabunya made his IFBB debut. At the 1998 Mr. Olympia, the favorite was Kenneth Wheeler, with Nasser El Sonbaty, Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray considered as the most serious contenders; but Coleman  who had won the Night of Champions earlier that year and was starting to be recognized as one of the very best in the discipline  appeared greatly improved and won his first title, beating Wheeler by a few points, and beginning the longest streak of victories in the history of the contest (tied with Lee Haney), with eight titles from 1998 to 2005. 
