Charleston, WV (AP) -- Charleston will host the 2008 Met-Rx World's Strongest Man Competition in September.

Mayor Danny Jones and 2006 winner Phil Pfister announced Thursday the competition is scheduled for Sept. 6 through 14 at various city locations.

Jones said he had hoped to secure the 2009 competition but was able to get this year's event after officials in Egypt backed out.

Pfister, a former Charleston Firefighter, is a spokesman for Chesapeake Energy. One of his partners is IMG Media Vice Chairman Barry Frank, who created the World's Strongest Man Competition in 1977.

The city had been scheduled to host an inaugural America's Strongest Man Competition in early July but dropped that to focus on landing the international competition, which was held last year in Anaheim, Calif.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All rights Reserved.)