Mateusz Kieliszkowski is easily one of the most talented athletes in the Strongman community. So, many were excited to watch him compete at the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASM), which is set to take place on February 28 – March 1 in Columbus, Ohio. Unfortunately, Mateusz came out with some bad news during his recent training session, revealing that he has withdrawn from the competition.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski was regarded as one of the favorites for the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic title, as the set of events seemed to really suit his set of skills. However, the ASM is also regarded as one of the heaviest and most difficult Strongman competitions of the season, even compared to other elite shows. This played a big role in Mateusz’s decision-making process, as he believes that he does not have enough to adequately prepare. In turn, he has determined to miss out on the competition.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski’s Decision to Withdraw From 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic
It is important to note that Mateusz Kieliszkowski has not suffered any new injuries that would take him out of competition for a while. Instead, he is making sure to recover completely before taking part in such a difficult competition as the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic.
As per his YouTube video, Mateusz Kieliszkowski points out his previous Achilles injury as his biggest setback at this point, since it is not allowing him to continue improving. Moreover, one of the events at the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic will be the Frame Carry, which would be a massive risk for his Achilles tendon.
“I decided not to compete at the Arnold Classic, and that is because I am not able to prepare for this competition yet because the weights are too heavy. I was making progress up to a certain point; at some point I stopped, and my leg still doesn’t allow me to gain the appropriate strength and the appropriate level to compete there.
I don’t intend to go there to finish last, because I won’t clown around. I won’t make a fool of myself. I always performed well in these competitions… This time I have no chance because my Achilles still doesn’t give me enough strength… I feel that my body is not ready for all this yet, and I prefer to prevent all that happened and prepare for other events.”
Apart from the Frame Carry, Mateusz Kieliszkowski revealed that he had been troubled by another event from the 2025 Arnold Strongman Classic. He was talking about the Big Jerk, which is basically a max overhead barbell press. Due to the countless surgeries that Mateusz went through, he is unable to get into the right position to perform the event.
“Just getting under the bar was a huge problem for me, and that is because of mobility, which is not exactly my fault. When I get under the bat, I have a huge pain in my elbow because I had my elbow stitched (surgery) five times, my triceps, my armpit, my latissimus, and my bicep. I have such pain that I can’t focus on the lift… I know what it can lead to again.”
Mateusz Kieliszkowski also referred to last year’s World’s Strongest Man competition, where he made an appearance despite not feeling prepared enough. He took part in the competition due to the pressure and expectations from his friends, family, fans, and the community. He ended up not making it to the finals, which took a big toll on his mental health.
“At the World Championships, my last one that I was at, I wasn’t ready! I said I won’t go to this competition because it’s not worth it. But, I also had pressure from around me, from family, from everyone… I went to that competition; I was swollen from anti-inflammatory drugs and gained over 10 kilograms of water weight then…
I didn’t make it to the finals; I embarrassed myself; I lost a lot of confidence. I was defeated by competitors who had never touched me before.”
Watch the full video here:
While the news of Mateusz Kieliszkowski’s withdrawal is unfortunate, he has revealed that he will do his best to prepare for the 2025 Europe’s Strongest Man competition, scheduled to take place on April 5th. So, he is making sure to slowly improve and avoid any risk of injury. This will allow him to take part in even more competitions later in the season.
Mateusz Kieliszkowski has taken part in 49 international and national competitions so far, taking 16 impressive victories. His latest triumph came at the 2024 Magnus Ver Magnusson Classic, where Mateusz put on an incredible show. However, Mateusz now has to prioritize his health for a while in order to get back to his prime.
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