IFBB professional bodybuilder Raleigh Roelly Winklaar has withdrawn from the 2021 Arnold Classic, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Sept. 25, U.S. time in Columbus, Ohio. At the time of writing, as of September 24, Winkla's name does not appear on the official list of contestants. According to one professional, the reason for Winkla's withdrawal from the competition was a medical problem that has not yet been made public.
At the time of writing, Winkla has yet to respond on social media about why he quit the game. Not only that, but he also qualifies for the 2021 Mr. Olympia Competition in Orlando, Florida, October 7-10. But until now, there has been no word about whether he will play that game.
On June 29, the official account of the Arnold Sports Festival announced that Winkla and 2021 New York Pro Champion Nick Walker will compete in the 2021 Arnold Classic. On August 29, Winkla also posted on social platforms that he intended to win the game, but did not expect that Winkla would withdraw from the game nearby.
Of the 14 male bodybuilders invited to compete, Winkla was the third bodybuilder to quit. Prior to that, Cedric McMillan, the 2017 Arnold Classic champion, withdrew from the tournament with an injury, but McMillan will be a webcaster in the tournament. Lionel Beyeke, a French bodybuilder and 2016 San Marino pro champion, also withdrew from the race due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions.
Lionel Beyeke
The following current list of entrants:
William Bonac
Maxx Charles
Seung Chul Lee
Mohamed El Eman
Steve Kuclo
Hassan Mostafa
Sergio Oliva Jr.
Justin Rodriguez
Iain Valliere
Akim Williams
Nick Walker
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="3" > about Raleigh Winkla</h1>
Winkla has long been considered one of the most popular athletes in the sport, in part because of his amazing arms, while his bodybuilding career has also been closely linked to the Arnold Classic.
In 2009, Winkla earned his bodybuilding professional card in the Arnold Amateur Tournament and went on to compete in the Arnold Classic 5 more times. His career-high ranking was fourth in 2018, and the winner of that race was William Bognac. In the same season, he won The Arnold Australia, which is considered the most important victory of his career.
Winkla has won a total of 11 races in his career and competed in Mr Olympia 9 times, with the highest finish being third in 2018.
Coincidentally, in 2020, Winkla withdrew from the 2020 Arnold Classic in preparation for that year's Mr. Olympia competition, which many bodybuilding enthusiasts considered a strong contender for the title. However, he eventually missed the race after testing positive for COVID-19 when he went to the race last December.