Opportunities to qualify for the Mr. Olympia — the top show in bodybuilding — are few and far between. So when a competitor jumps into a contest, nothing can be left to chance. The latest opportunity came on June 27, 2021, in Nassau, Bahamas, in the form of the 2021 Puerto Rico Pro. Twelve athletes took to the stage with hopes of being the last one standing after the posedown.
In the end, Akim Williams hoisted the sword that served as the trophy for this contest. He also earned a qualification to the 2021 Olympia, taking place Oct. 7-10 in Orlando, FL. Below are the complete results for the 2021 Puerto Rico Pro and division winners for the other contests.
2021 Puerto Rico Pro Men’s Open Bodybuilding Results
- Akim Williams
- Mohamed Shaaban
- Hassan Mastafa
- Andrea Presti
- Andrea Muzi
- Theo Leguerrier
- William Martins
- Robin Strand
- Jamie Christian-Johal
- Dorian Haywood
Winner — Akim Williams
The first thing that stood out about Williams was his quadriceps. Aside from how large they were, there was plenty of definition, including cross striations when he flexed them. He had been criticized in the past for his lack of conditioning onstage, but his presentation was good enough for him to earn his third professional victory. Before this, his last win was the 2020 Chicago Pro. He also won the Tampa Pro in 2016.
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Second Place — Mohamed Shaaban
Shaaban may have looked his best at this contest. He and Williams traded places in the callouts during both prejudging and finals. So the decision was a tough one for the judges. While he didn’t win this show, the good news is that he earns extra points on the Olympia Qualification points system, which can help him make it to the big show this fall.
Third Place — Hassan Mastafa
Mastafa had competed in multiple shows already this year. He got third at the New York Pro, and the toll of the show may have affected his peak at this contest. While he is an impressive bodybuilder, Williams was too big and conditioned to be denied. Some fans in attendance did feel that Mastafa deserved second place.
Nonetheless, Mastafa may have punched his ticket to the Olympia now, thanks to the points system. He was in second place with 10 points going into this event. His third-place finish will add four more to that total.
Other Division Winners
The men’s Open division wasn’t the only group that saw action in Puerto Rico. Throughout the weekend, athletes competed in nine other divisions at this show, including all six women’s divisions. Every winner got the first place trophy as well as qualification to the Olympia in Orlando. The winners of each contest are below.
- Women’s Bodybuilding — Nadia Capotosto
- Women’s Physique — Tanya Chartrand
- Wellness — Casey DeLong
- Fitness — Derina Wilson
- Figure — Jessica Reyes Padilla
- Bikini — Maria Julia Lemos
- 212 Pound Division — Piotr Borecki
- Classic Physique — Gabriel Zancelli Machado
- Men’s Physique — Diego Montenegro
For the other men’s Open competitors that have yet to qualify for the Olympia, a few more shows that they can enter before the cutoff date of Sept. 12, 2021. The remaining contests are below.
- Mr. Big Evolution — July 16-18 Estoril, Portugal
- Chicago Pro — July 23-24, Atlanta, GA (Moved Due to COVID-19 Regulations)
- Tampa Pro — August 6-7, Tampa, FL
- Texas Pro — August 13-14, Irving, TX
- Europa Pro — August 15, Spain (City not Announced as of this writing)
Featured Image: akim_bkbeast_williams on Instagram
