07. Februar 2007  
USA  
Artistic Gymnastics

Paul Hamm to compete again

Paul and Morgan HAMM (USA)

Olympic champion Paul Hamm has decided to return to competitive gymnastics, hoping for a less tumultuous path to the all-around title at the Beijing Olympics than the one he took in Athens.
Hamm and his twin brother, Morgan, met last weekend with USA Gymnastics officials to confirm their decisions to return.
They plan to participate in a limited number of events in 2007 while they finish school and get back into competitive shape.


Paul Hamm won the gold medal in the all-around in Athens in 2004. Soon after the event, the International Gymnastics Federation acknowledged a scoring error had been made on South Korean Yang Tae Young's second-to-last event, and he wound up with the bronze. The Koreans protested.

When FIG President Bruno Grandi suggested Hamm share the medal as acknowledgment of a mistake, Hamm was forced to defend his gold well after the Games were over, all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
That and other scoring problems in Athens brought about changes in the gymnastics scoring code.
The Hamms, 24, sat out and analyzed the new system before making their decision.
Source: Different American press

Photo, right: >>>
2004, Victory Ceremony, Athens: >>
KIM (KOR) - P. HAMM (USA) - YOUNG (KOR)