Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps poses at a press conference in Beijing. Phelps returned to Beijing on Jan. 10 to endorse an automobile maker on the mainland, the latest of several lucrative company sponsorship deals he has signed.(Xinhua Photo)

Five months after he made Olympic history, American swimmer Michael Phelps returned to Beijing on Saturday to endorse an automobile maker on the mainland, the latest of several lucrative company sponsorship deals he has signed, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Phelps signed a "seven-figure" agreement to be a spokesman for Mazda Motor Corp. in China, where the Japanese automaker's sales have fallen because of decreased demand. The 23-year-old Olympic gold medalist will endorse the Mazda 6 car in television and print ads and public appearances, according to a news release by Dynamic Marketing Group's DMG Entertainment unit, which is heading up the campaign. The deal is the largest sponsorship for a western celebrity in China's history, according to various news reports.

The "Baltimore bullet" was welcomed at Beijing Capital International Airport by hundreds of reporters and fans and surrounded by camera flashes, screams and flowers. The situation got out of control for a few minutes, the Xinhua report said.

On Jan. 11, American swimmer Michael Phelps displays the Chinese character "niu" he writes with a writing brush to wish Chinese netizens a happy Spring Festival.(Xinhua Photo)

Later dozens of security guards escorted Phelps to a VIP lounge where he gave brief group interviews to about 200 media organizations, according to an article on the Espnstar website. Phelps said he expected to revisit the Water Cube during his five-day stay, the report said.

Phelps won an Olympic record of eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics last August. He also won six gold medals and two bronze medals at the Athens Olympics in 2004. Since the Beijing Olympics, Phelps has signed lucrative product endorsement deals with various companies.

(CRI via Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2009)