Ian Thorpe is not at his peak any more, but his popularity in China and the rest of Asia still makes him a highly marketable commodity.

As the brand ambassador for natural health supplement Blackmores, the Australian swimming icon came to Beijing on Monday and shared his experiences in keeping fit and healthy through nutrition.

"Growing up in Australia, I've been very well aware of what Blackmores has done," Thorpe said. "When I started back swimming again, I looked into the importance of nutrition, and the role it could play as I prepared myself to return to the sport."

Blackmores and Thorpe are both synonymous with health and well-being, making the partnership a natural fit. Blackmores knows that good health and well-being are vital for athletes like Thorpe to be able to compete at the elite level. Training schedules put huge demands on athletes' bodies, making the right nutrition and supplementation critical to helping them achieve their peak performance.

"I am in the aging period of my life. I only talk about products I think will benefit consumers. If I am not sure, I am not going to do it," said Thorpe, who joined the brand eight months ago.

Media company Play Up has also signed Thorpe as the face of its iPhone app in Japan.

- Chen Xiangfeng

(China Daily 10/24/2012 page22)