subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Sun, Sep 07 2008 

Published June 22, 2008 01:44 am - Paul Hamm is going to his third Olympics, and he never had to do a routine. The reigning Olympic gold medalist, who missed this week’s trials with a broken hand, was selected for the U.S. team for the Beijing Games on Saturday afternoon, along with former Oklahoma gymnast Jonathan Horton. The rest of the six-man team and/or a training squad will be announced Sunday afternoon.

Horton's Olympic dream realized


Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA — Paul Hamm is going to his third Olympics, and he never had to do a routine.

The reigning Olympic gold medalist, who missed this week’s trials with a broken hand, was selected for the U.S. team for the Beijing Games on Saturday afternoon, along with former Oklahoma gymnast Jonathan Horton. The rest of the six-man team and/or a training squad will be announced Sunday afternoon.

“It’s strange. It doesn’t feel the same as it would for Jonathan,” said Hamm, who still has to show he’s physically ready to compete at a July 22 training camp. “I understand where the committee stands, and I feel I can do the job they want me to do. But it’s definitely a little bittersweet for me.

“I haven’t gone through my trials yet,” he added. “I still have my trials process to go through.”

Hamm is three weeks removed from surgery to repair a broken fourth metacarpal in his right hand, which occurred in the closing seconds of his parallel bars routine at the national championships. It will be another two weeks before he can do “moderate” gymnastics.

But putting him on the team was a no-brainer. He is the only American man to win the world title (2003) and Olympic gold medal (2004), and had firmly established himself as a favorite to defend his title in Beijing.

Despite a 21⁄2-year layoff — unheard of in elite gymnastics — he had been better than ever this year. He won every competition he entered, and finished the first day of nationals with an almost four-point lead, a huge margin in a sport where medals are decided by tenths and hundredths of points.

He is ahead of schedule in his rehabilitation, and no one doubts he will not only be healthy in time for Beijing, but good enough to contend for medals — for both himself and his country.

“I am so pumped and excited to be on this Olympic team and stand next to Paul Hamm, who I consider to be one of the best ever,” Horton said. “To represent the United States with him ... it’s going to be incredible.”

The selection criteria for the men’s team are a convoluted mix of top scores and percentages. The top two finishers in Saturday’s competition were guaranteed spots on the team — but only if they were in the top three in at least three events, too. Nobody was.

That meant the selection committee could put whoever it wanted in the two spots that had to be announced Saturday, and Horton was a logical choice.

Fourth at the world championships last fall, he’s been largely overshadowed in Hamm’s return this year. But he is consistent, and he is good. When scores from the national championships last month and this week’s trials were combined and weighted, Horton had the top all-around score (90.750). He also had the second-highest scores on floor and still rings through the four-day competition, and was fourth on parallel bars and high bar — and that was with falls on both days at nationals on high bar.

And, on Saturday, when the nerves were at their highest, Horton was rock steady. He had the highest all-around score, finishing more than a half-point ahead of David Durante, and had the second-best scores on floor, still rings, vault and parallel bars.

With two spots gone, the committee has to come up with the rest of the team. And it won’t be easy.

“It’s actually really interesting,” Hamm said. “I feel bad for the selection committee. None of the athletes made it that easy. There are probably nine or so athletes in the mix.”



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.

Click here to load this Caspio Bridge DataPage.
Click here to load this Caspio Bridge DataPage.




monster
wheels
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premier Guide

Find a job! Find a Home! Find a car!

Premium Jobs

Man Power Staffing
40
Immediate
Openings
South OKC Locations
Assembly & Production
Warehouse & Forklift
...>MORE

Receptionist Wanted
FT & PT Avail, Exp A + will train
Apply in person: Westwood Vet Hosp.
111 N. Mercedes
...>MORE

Inside and Outside
Sales Rep Needed to Promote
Essence Health Care
a Medicare Advantage Plan serving Lincoln, Caddo and Johnston<
...>MORE

Organization Seeks
Accounts Support Specialist
with 3 – 4 yrs relevant experience.
Knowledge of bookkeeping,
MS Office, mult
...>MORE

MOORE PUBLIC LIBRARY
POSITION: Circulation Clerk:
40 hr/wk $1683.00/mo.

POSITION: Circulation Clerk:
20 hr/wk $
...>MORE

Secretary Project Coordinator
Secretary Project Coordinator
Needed for a Commercial Const. Comp. Require: Multi Phone Lines,
Basic Office &
...>MORE

Fence Installer & Lavorers Needed
Some experience required.
Must have valid DL License &
transportation • 872-8227
...>MORE

CMA / CNA with MAT
3-11 & 11-7 shift F/T & P/T
Max 12 residents, memory care
Apply in person
Arbor House Reminisce
151
...>MORE

Bus Driver – Part-time
HS dipl. or equivalent, Valid OK "B" C.D.L. w/passenger endorsements & bus driver cert. Meet & maintain State of OK Scho...>MORE

CADC or LADC
Licensed or eligible for supervision. Fax resume w/refs,SS# & Job #09-004 to 632-1976 or mail to :
HO
...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Homes

FSBO Lake Front House on 6.3 AC’s
1750 SF • 3Bd/2Bth/2CarGranite Ctrs, Spa,
LG Deck • $160K • on Reynold’s Lake
405-664-4188 • 366-6840
...>MORE

Lease-Option to Buy,
Large Executive Home in W Norman,
Call Bill Tucker O/A
919-1746, Preferred Realty, Inc
...>MORE

BIG House on the Prairie
NEW 4Bd/2Bth/2Lv Custom
Acreage with Privacy
EZ Qualify • $22 Down • $677/Mo
405-217-8600
...>MORE

Executive Home site
Build your Estate on these 11.6 Acres at E Lindsey and SE 48th.Beautiful wooded site. Part of Highland Hills. Fenced on...>MORE

Horses OK!! Cowboys Too??
NEW 4Bd Mini-Ranchette
Horse Property • Acres • Water Well
$16 Down • $731/Mo
405-217-8600
...>MORE

NO First, NO Last, NO Kiddin!
Blanchard Schools • NEW
4Bd/2Bth on Acreage, Views N’More
RENT or PURCHASE • $722/Mo
405-217-8600
...>MORE

Kozy Kottage
3Bd/2Bth/FmRm Custom Kitchen
Gingerbread Like - WOW!
HURRY! • $19 Down • $589/Mo
405-217-8600
...>MORE

English Style • 3200+/- SF
2 Story • Built in the 40’s
Lots of Trees & Character on 2 Acres
$279,000 • FSBO • (580)371-6677
...>MORE

See all ads

Premium Extras

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index