US gymnast Hamm makes history

[JMT]

olympic fans:

probably the greatest moment so far of these olympics. the kid was all but beaten, he didnt even realize he had won. amazing moment.

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After ugly fall, gymnast becomes first U.S. man to win all-around title


Paul Hamm's margin of victory was the closest in men's Olympic history.


ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- He had to be perfect and hope no one else was.

Even Paul Hamm's coach figured it was over: "I thought he had no odds."

A fall on his vault landing sent Hamm stumbling into the judges' table and all the way down to 12th place in the all-around gymnastics final.

"I thought, `That's it. I'm done,"' he said.

Far from it. In one of the most amazing comebacks in Olympic history, Hamm performed the two most spectacular routines of his career Wednesday to win the gold medal by the closest margin ever in the event.

"I'm happy right now. Shocked, actually," said Hamm, the first American man to win the Olympic all-around. "To be in first place after that kind of mistake, I thought there was no chance to win."

The final competitor of the night, Hamm needed a 9.825 on the high bar, his best event, to tie Kim Dae-eun of South Korea for gold -- and he was dazzling. The highlight of his routine are three straight release moves, and he did them perfectly.

Hamm threw himself up and over the bar, catching it on the way down once, twice and then a third time, soaring higher with each toss. His dismount was perfect, and he hit the mat with a solid thud before thrusting his fists into the air and throwing his head back in jubilation. He waved at the roaring crowd and then sprinted off the podium clapping his hands while his coach, Miles Avery, jumped up and down on the sideline.

Avery grabbed Hamm in a bearhug when he came off the podium. Hamm then dropped into a chair, overwhelmed by what he had done. When his score of 9.837 flashed on the scoreboard, the arena went into a frenzy.

"I thought I could win silver, maybe bronze," said the 21-year-old from Waukesha, Wis. "I didn't think I could win gold until Miles said, 'You're the Olympic champion,' and all I could think to say was, 'No way!"'

"It was one of the most amazing comebacks in gymnastics history," said U.S. teammate Brett McClure, who finished ninth. "He's so determined not to fail."

He usually doesn't, which is what made his debacle on vault so stunning.

Hamm appeared to have the gold medal firmly within his grasp with a .038 point lead over China's Yang Wei, his biggest rival, halfway through the meet. He moved to the vault, normally one of his most solid events, and looked good when he hit the springboard and leapt forward, turning his body sideways before his hands hit the horse.

Springing backward, he did 1 1/2 somersaults, but he didn't get enough height on the twists and hit the mat in a crouch. There was no time to stabilize himself, his left leg crossing over the right and sending him on a sickening stumble.

"I don't know how that happened," he said. "It felt good in the air."

The crowd gasped as he fell sideways and back off the mat, hitting the edge of the judges' table before he plopped down, a stunned look on his face. He got up and walked off the podium, shaking his head and thinking he'd probably just cost himself the gold.

"I was very upset and depressed," Hamm said. "I felt I let myself down."

He looked dazed when he saw his score of 9.137, which dropped him 12th place and more than a half-point behind Yang -- an almost insurmountable deficit.

Going first on his next event, the parallel bars, Hamm flipped from one handstand right into another, still as a marble statue. His dismount was textbook perfect.

His score, also a 9.837, was the highest on the parallel bars and would move him up in the standings. But just how high would depend on his competitors. And one by one, they fell away.

When the rotation finally ended, Hamm had jumped all the way back to fourth place, only .313 points out of first.

That was all Hamm needed.

[Lola]

I sat up and cried last night when Hamm nailed the HIgh Bar... should have gotten a 10.0 IMO but still, the routine was amazing......

Wow congrats to Hamm for becoming the first US male to win the all-around competition!!

[LeVeL]

I was watching last night the whole competition and I was saddened when Hamm landed and fell from the high bar, I thought he was finished. It was totally amazing to watch the guy come back and win it. That man has some guts and especially skill.

[Lola]

Did you see Carly win it last night??
Fucking awesome!

[LeVeL]

Originally Posted by Lolahotass

Did you see Carly win it last night??
Fucking awesome!

She was fucking amazing...........she truly represented. I felt bad for that french girl who totally fucked up on the balance bar....poor girl was under so much pressure she didn't have no balance at all.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Lolahotass

Did you see Carly win it last night??
Fucking awesome!

when she started balling after her win set it, i was getting choked up.

[Apotheosis]

Originally Posted by JMT

[quote author=Lolahotass link=board=6;threadid=6053;start=0#msg69514 date=1093019916]
Did you see Carly win it last night??
Fucking awesome!

when she started balling after her win set it, i was getting choked up.
[/quote]

hay que lindo :P

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Apotheosis

[quote author=JMT link=board=6;threadid=6053;start=0#msg69604 date=1093025296]
[quote author=Lolahotass link=board=6;threadid=6053;start=0#msg69514 date=1093019916]
Did you see Carly win it last night??
Fucking awesome!

when she started balling after her win set it, i was getting choked up.
[/quote]

hay que lindo :P
[/quote]

si, que barbaridad!

[LeVeL]

What is this gringos talking spanish now..........lol

[bcnjunkie]

excellent performance ! that was an awesome moment