The U.S. Olympic team took its second major hit Monday when Olympic all-around gymnastics champion Paul Hamm withdrew because of a shoulder injury.
Abby Wambach, the leading scorer of the women’s soccer team, broke her left leg July 16, against Brazil.
Raj Bhavsar of Houston was named Hamm’s replacement. Alexander “Sasha” Artemev of Highlands Ranch and David Durante, who trains at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, were the other alternates in the running to replace him.
Hamm, who became the first American man to win an all- around Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games, broke a bone in his right hand May 22, which required surgery to repair and set him back in his training. He demonstrated “physical readiness” to the satisfaction of team coaches at a camp July 19 in Colorado Springs, only to suffer a rotator cuff strain in his left shoulder.
“I’ve put my heart and soul into this comeback and have done everything I could to get ready in time to compete in Beijing, but I’ve made a decision to step aside,” Hamm said in a teleconference. “For my comeback to be successful, I needed to make continuous progress and have no setbacks.”
Hamm said he dropped out in the team’s best interests.
“I’ve talked it over with my coach, Miles Avery, and he agrees that I would not be prepared to contribute to the team,” Hamm said.
Artemev, who still will leave for Beijing on Wednesday, represented the U.S. on the past two world championships teams but was plagued by inconsistency at the Olympic Trials in June.
“It’s pretty disappointing,” Artemev said after learning of Bhavsar’s selection. “It’s kind of tough, because you’re happy (to be considered) one second and then it goes downhill. It’s kind of a roller-coaster ride.”
Artemev said he would continue to train hard in case there is another opening.
“My work ethic is good,” said Artemev, who won a bronze medal in pommel horse at the 2006 world championships. “I’ve got to support this team and show them I’m ready in case anything does happen. God forbid, but you never know in this sport.”
Hamm took nearly three years off after the Athens Games to finish his college education at Ohio State. He seemed fit and well-positioned to defend his gold medal until he fractured the fourth meta- carpal bone while finishing a parallel bars routine at the U.S. championships. The bone was surgically repaired five days later, using a plate and nine small screws.
Hamm said pushing too hard to regain his fitness might have caused the shoulder problem.
“From the beginning, my attempt at a comeback has been a longshot,” Hamm said. “The time frame I was given was extremely short. This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but I have too much respect for the Olympics and my team to continue on when I know the best thing for everyone is for me to step aside.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to an editing error, it incorrectly said USA women’s soccer player Abby Wambach broker her leg in an exhibition match against Brazil in Commerce City. Wambach’s injury took place in San Diego.
