Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian in history, is heading back to China not to swim, but to be the spokesperson for Mazda.
The swimmer, who won a record eight gold medals at the summer games in Beijing, has signed a seven-figure deal to endorse the new Mazda 6 model in a series of ad campaigns and personal appearances. It is said to be the largest single sponsorship deal for a Western celebrity in China’s history.
Phelps already has endorsement deals with Speedo, Visa, Subway, and Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, among others. His mother, Debbie Phelps, made a commercial for Johnson & Johnson and endorses Chico women’s clothes.
It’s only a matter of time before they announce that Phelps’ beloved bulldog, Herman, has inked his own endorsement deal. During a 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper, Phelps’ agent, Peter Carlisle let slip that he’s fielded several sponsorship offers for Herman, too.

Everything Phelps touches does turn to gold!
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