Paul Hamm up for next Olympic challenge

Paul Hamm faces more challenges over the next two weeks as he works to be "routine-ready" for the Beijing Olympics.

After breaking his right hand just eight weeks ago, it seemed unlikely he could return to peak form in time for the start of the Olympic gymnastics competition on Aug. 9. But that is precisely the kind of challenge the 25-year-old gymnast loves to tackle.

Hamm showed his readiness Saturday before an overflow crowd of 1,200 fans packed into a gym in Colorado Springs, Colo. Then he spent two more days working with his U.S. teammates in their pre-Olympic camp before returning to his training base in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday.

"For somebody who just broke his hand awhile back, the whole coaching staff was impressed," men's national team coordinator Ron Brant said during a conference call Tuesday. "He's probably at 80 percent. Every day he makes another step forward in what he's doing.

"This week I would say he made the biggest jump, being around his teammates. He built confidence up in his hand."

Hamm broke the fourth metacarpal on his right hand during the final moments of his parallel bars routine during the national championships in late May. He admitted that he was fighting some pain while going through routines on all six events Saturday, a showing that convinced a men's selection committee to affirm his selection to the U.S. team.

The Waukesha gymnast's "underbar" movements on parallel bars-the giant swing and basket swing-showed improvement Monday, Brant said.

"It may only have been an 80 percent performance, but his 80 percent is sometimes as good as many others," Brant said. "Obviously, 80 percent won't be enough to win (the all-around gold medal). I think that's where he's looking to close the gap over the next couple weeks in his performance.

"But his confidence level is much higher leaving this camp, that's for sure."

Hamm underwent surgery on the hand on May 27 and was cleared to resume full workouts on July 3. Since then, he has been going all out to prepare for the Beijing Games and an opportunity to defend the all-around gold medal he won in 2004 in Athens.

"There are not many athletes that can do it," Brant said of the rapid comeback. "That's probably why he's an Olympic gold medalist.

"A lot of this is mentally pushing himself. I was just amazed that when he raised his right hand, he was able to hit some routines, because I know he hadn't done many (before the intra-squad meet). He was still dealing with the hand and some pain here and there.

"Somehow when the green light comes on and he's got to raise his hand, the Paul Hamm steps forward that we know from the past."

It also was announced Tuesday that Miles Avery, coach at Ohio State and the personal coach for Paul and Morgan Hamm, would serve as assistant coach for the U.S. team in the Beijing Games. Kevin Mazeika of Houston is the team's head coach, the same role he filled four years ago in Athens.

Kevin Tan of Fremont, Calif., was named the captain for the men's gymnastics team. Tan, a three-time member of U.S. world championships teams, will be competing in his first Olympic Games.

Brant said he expected no problems with Morgan Hamm's participation on the U.S. team. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee reaffirmed his membership on the team last week, in the wake of a public warning by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency after he tested positive for a prohibited substance at nationals.

USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny said the International Gymnastics Federation has the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.