Akim Williams out of 2022 Arnold Classic After Testing Positive for Covid 19
IFBB Pro League men’s open bodybuilder Akim Williams has become the fourth man in the last month to withdraw from the 2022 Arnold Classic. Ron Harris of Muscular Development has reported that Williams tested positive for Covid-19, but Williams himself hasn’t made a public statement as to why he is out of the contest. The Arnold Sports Festival has confirmed to us that he will no longer be a part of the lineup.
Williams’ self-removal from the show follows the previous withdrawals of Rafael Brandao due to unknown reasons, 2021 Arnold Classic UK champion Nathan De Asha due to a bicep injury, and Mohamed Shaaban, who stepped aside due to neck and spinal cord injuries he had been dealing with for several months.
Williams is one of the larger athletes in the men’s Open, and he’s no stranger to the winner circle. His most recent win was the 2021 Puerto Rico Pro. His 2021 Arnold Classic appearance resulted him placing fifth, which was his highest placing to date at the prestigious show. Many fans were hoping to see how he would match up with the likes of 2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry as well as rising stars such as Canada’s Regan Grimes and Brett Wilkin of Colorado. There is no word on when Williams will compete again, but he will have to if he hopes to make it to the 2022 Olympia this December in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Now that Williams is officially out, that leaves ten men out of the original 14-man lineup to compete for the victory at the 34th Arnold Classic. The lineup is still stacked with major contenders such as past champions Curry, William Bonac, and Cedric McMillan. Whoever wins this contest will likely be considered one of the top contenders for reigning Mr. Olympia Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay when he competes for a third straight title in December. The full list is below.
2022 Arnold Classic Competitors
- William Bonac (Netherlands)
- Maxx Charles (USA)
- Brandon Curry (USA)
- Samson Dauda (United Kingdom)
- Regan Grimes (Canada)
- Steve Kuclo (USA)
- Cedric McMillan (USA)
- Fabio Giga Rezende (Brazil)
- Justin Rodriguez (USA)
- Brett Wilkin (USA)