This year’s Greek Physique competition will feature Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman guest-posing at the charity event.

Coleman has held the title of Mr. Olympia for the past six years – a feat paralleled by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Mr. Olympia is a bodybuilding contest created by fitness guru Joe Weider to keep Mr. Universe winners active in the sport, according to the International Federation of Bodybuilders’ Web site.

This year marks the 15th annual Greek Physique. The event, hosted by Phi Kappa Sigma, will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium.

This will be the first time any professional bodybuilder has headlined the event, said Matt Minuth, the 2001 Greek Physique champion and coordinator of this year’s event.

“It’s like if the Phi Kaps had a basketball tournament and Michael Jordan came,” Minuth said. “It’s huge.”

Coleman poses for a fee of $5,000, which will be covered by ticket sales. Usually, Coleman only poses for major National Physique Committee bodybuilding competitions, Minuth said.

“Even the big ones – they’re lucky if they get him,” he said.

Minuth said getting Coleman to pose wasn’t easy. A former Greek Physique competitor e-mailed Coleman and mentioned Greek Physique. Coleman expressed interest in the charity event, and Minuth was given his phone number.

“I called him up, talked to him and eventually, we arranged it,” Minuth said.

Minuth said he thinks bringing Coleman will increase interest in the event, which will raise more money to benefit the Leukemia Society.

Greek Physique tickets are $15 for gold tickets, which cover the first half of the auditorium, and $10 for white tickets, which cover the back half.

Tickets can be purchased at the Student Recreation Center today through Wednesday and at the student center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.