Michael Phelps returns poolside with his sons as 8-year-old Beckett eyes 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. 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.
Irvine, California (AP) — Exactly ten years after Michael Phelps concluded his illustrious career at the Rio Olympics with an impressive 23 gold medals, the swimming legend returned to the Pan Pacific Championships accompanied by two of his four young sons. Among them, 8-year-old Beckett showed a keen interest in swimming, while 6-year-old Maverick sat by his side, alongside their parents Nicole Phelps and father of the family, Bob Bowman. Oldest son Boomer, 10, kept 2-year-old Nico entertained at home.
Beckett demonstrated a particular liking for the racier aspects of swimming, with Phelps noting that he possesses a more sprinter-type stroke, a trait that Phelps himself does not possess. The U.S. team is currently being guided by Phelps' longtime coach, Bob Bowman, who has taken on an unofficial role as the boys' grandfather. Phelps remarked, “Grandpa Bob is giving him some pointers here and there,” adding, “I would say he’s got more of a sprinter-type stroke, so not me, which kind of makes me happy.”
The family is actively seeking swimming coaches in their hometown of Phoenix, where they reside, for Beckett. Phelps made it clear that he would not push his son into a career in swimming, emphasizing, “If he wants to be a swimmer, I will support it. I will never push him into it. I want him to become his own person. I just hope he has fun.”
To help Beckett understand the nature of competitive swimming, Phelps explained some of the finer points, saying, “I was like, ‘Dude, if you want to train hard and literally grind, this is the sport.’”
Phelps started his swimming journey at the tender age of 7 in his hometown of Baltimore, where he initially struggled to even submerge his face in the water. He joined a local club partly to follow his older sisters, who also swam, and also to channel his abundant energy levels that sometimes overwhelmed his single mother, Debbie.
Reflecting on his oldest son's personality, Phelps observed, “He has a hard time turning the switch off, so when he gets angry, he gets angry.” Phelps drew a parallel between his own behavior and Beckett's, stating, “That was the same way I was, so stare at that black line and scream as loud as you possibly can.”
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