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Michael Phelps Won't Pressure His Sons Into Sports: I Want Them to 'Find Their Own Road'

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Michael Phelps may be the all-time most decorated Olympian, but he wants his sons Beckett Richard, 8 weeks, and Boomer Robert, 23 months, to carve their own unique paths.

The retired swimming champion stopped by the Today show Thursday to talk about his efforts in raising awareness about water conservation as well as his adorable family, which became one of four on Feb. 12 when he and wife Nicole welcomed their second son.

“It’s different, but it’s fun,” Phelps, 32, says of his new dynamic. “Just being able to watch the two of them together — Boomer, all he wants to do is help Beckett and really just be around him.”

“We are very blessed that we do have two amazing, healthy kids that just love to be around each other,” he adds.

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RELATED: Meet Beckett Richard! Michael Phelps and Wife Nicole Welcome Second Son

At not even 2 years old, the athlete’s older son is already showing early signs of taking after his dad. As Phelps explains, “Booms is to the point right now where he wants to play golf, he wants to get in the pool, he wants to be outside, he wants to do something active all the time. It’s so much fun watching the smile on his face.”

Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly point out that the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree, showing a clip of little Boomer mimicking his dad’s practice moves for his back-slap swimming move.

RELATED VIDEO: Michael Phelps and Wife Nicole Expecting Second Child

Phelps tells the hosts he doesn’t yet know whether Boomer is destined for an Olympic career, but insists he would support whatever path both his sons chose.

“Nicole and I have had so many conversations about it, and I think the biggest thing is just being able to have them find their own road and their own path that they want to go on,” he says.

“We’re always there to help and support and answer questions, but I don’t want to force them to do something they don’t want to do,” adds the father of two. “That’s how my mom was with me, and I’m forever grateful for that.”

That doesn’t mean Phelps doesn’t have his own secret hopes, deep down. “I’ll be greedy dad and say I’d rather see him play the Sunday of the Masters,” he jokes.

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