sandgk
Watson, Crick & A Twist
A couple of good articles on 2004 Olympic Champion Paul Hamm.
First a piece in NYT in the lead up to the 2008 American Cup.
Then, the report on his win in the 2008 American Cup ...
The Official Ohio State site also links to a story about Miles Avery coaching Hamm for that event.
First a piece in NYT in the lead up to the 2008 American Cup.
The fact that Paul Hamm is here is a surprise, even to him.
?After the Olympics,? he said, ?I laid off for two and a half years. I went back to school and got it out of the way as fast as I could. I took 18 to 20 credits at a time.?
He said that he received his degree in accounting from Ohio State in June and that he wanted to pursue a master?s in business administration after the Olympics.
?I lived a college life,? he said. ?I?d go to films. I?d hang out with friends. It was an enjoyable time. I learned what else is out there. But I didn?t plan to return to gymnastics. I thought I would get on with my life.
?But in December 2006, Morgan and I sat down and decided to compete again. We thought there was more we could do.?
Then, the report on his win in the 2008 American Cup ...
Right now, the men don't have anyone to challenge Hamm, who outpointed countryman Alexander Artemev, 94.400-91.150, despite breaking on his pommel horse routine.
"What he's done to this point is phenomenal," said his coach, Miles Avery.
But there's a cluster of people below Hamm - his brother, Horton, Artemev, Guillermo Alvarez, David Durante, Sean Golden, Raj Bhavsar - who also have global seasoning and can hold up when the pressure is turned up.
Beating the Chinese at Olympus would be an astounding achievement in any year and the odds are long.
"We have to be at the top of our game and they have to be a little off," concedes Hamm. "We understand that going in."
The Official Ohio State site also links to a story about Miles Avery coaching Hamm for that event.
? [URL="https://admin.xosn.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=1059656"]Miles Avery[/URL], Ohio State men?s gymnastics head coach, travels to New York City, N.Y., this weekend to guide 2004 all-around Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm at the 2008 Tyson American Cup. The event, starting at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in Madison Square Garden, marks the start of USA Gymnastics? ?Road to Beijing? and will showcase the world?s top gymnasts. NBC Sports will be airing the event at 1 p.m. Saturday.
For Hamm, who finished first in the all-around at the Winter Cup Challenge Feb. 9, the Tyson American Cup is only his second competition after taking time off to finish his undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University. Along with Hamm, former Buckeye Raj Bhavsar (2000-03), Oklahoma senior Jonathan Horton and Alexander Artemev will be representing the U.S. at the world competition.