Michael Phelps returns poolside with his sons as 8-year-old Beckett eyes swimming

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Ten years to the week after ending his career at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics with 23 career gold medals, Michael Phelps turned up at the Pan Pacific Championships with two of his four young sons.

And one is interested in swimming.

Beckett, who's 8, and brother Maverick, who's 6, sat with their dad and mom Nicole watching two days of the international meet featuring the U.S., Australia, Canada and Japan. Oldest brother Boomer, age 10, was keeping youngest brother Nico, age 2, entertained at home.

Beckett took a keen interest in the racing. The U.S. team is being overseen by Phelps' longtime coach, Bob Bowman, who is an unofficial grandfather to the boys.

“Grandpa Bob is giving him some pointers here and there,” Phelps said. “I would say he’s got more of a sprinter-type stroke, so not me, which kind of makes me happy.”

The family is researching coaches in Phoenix, where they live, for Beckett.

“If he wants to be a swimmer, I will support it,” Phelps said. “I will never push him into it. I want him to become his own person. I just hope he has fun.”

Phelps was careful to explain some of the finer points to Beckett.

“I was like, ‘Dude, if you want to train hard and literally grind, this is the sport,’” he said.

Phelps began swimming when he was 7 in his hometown of Baltimore, where he was initially afraid to put his face in the water. He joined a local club partly to follow his older sisters who swam and also to channel his high energy levels that occasionally bedeviled his single mother, Debbie. He made his Olympic debut at 15 in the 2000 Sydney Games.

Now he sees some of himself in his second son's traits.

“He has a hard time turning the switch off, so when he gets angry, he gets angry,” Phelps said. “That was the same way I was, so stare at that black line and scream as loud as you possibly can.”

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports