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Boudia Nearly Perfect In Platform Finals

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 23, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS - David Boudia is heading to Beijing with the look of a potential star, beating close friend Thomas Finchum in the final of 10-meter platform at the U.S. Olympic diving trials in a battle of 10s.

The once-dominant American team is eager to make up for its medal shutout at Athens four years ago, and the 19-year-old Boudia could be just the one to take down the powerful Chinese.

The teenager from suburban Indianapolis received perfect marks from six of the seven judges for his fourth attempt, a reverse 3 1/2 somersault tuck. He got five more 10s in the next-to-last round with an even tougher dive, the back 3 1/2 somersault from the pike position. Both times, he barely rippled the surface as his body sliced through the water.

Boudia finished Sunday with a total of 1642.20 points, while Finchum was the runner-up with 1583.50 despite receiving 10s on three of his six dives.
Morgan Hamm Earns Gymnastics Berth

PHILADELPHIA - Morgan Hamm will be joining his brother at the Olympics.
Morgan Hamm was selected for the U.S. men's gymnastics team for the Beijing Games on Sunday, along with Kevin Tan, Joseph Hagerty and Justin Spring. Paul Hamm, the reigning Olympic champion and Morgan's twin, and Jonathan Horton were put on the team Saturday after the conclusion of the Olympic trials.

Raj Bhavsar, David Durante and Sasha Artemev are the alternates. The entire team still has to show physical readiness at a July 22 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Like his brother, Morgan Hamm took 2 1/2 years off after the Athens Game before resuming training in hopes of making his third Olympic team. But he tore a muscle in his chest last October, and didn't compete again until the national championships last month.

He struggled Saturday, too, after injuring his ankle the first day of trials. But he is a model of consistency, somebody the United States can count on for solid, if not spectacular, routines every time he takes the floor.

He also could contend for an individual medal on floor exercise, and will give the Americans a strong score on pommel horse.

Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin earned guaranteed spots on the U.S. women's gymnastics team Sunday night after finishing 1-2 at the Olympic trials - the same places they had at the national championships two weeks ago.

The remaining four members of the team and three alternates will be named after a July 20 selection camp at the Karolyi ranch in Houston.

TRIATHLON: Sarah Haskins secured the final spot on the three-member U.S. women's Olympic team with a sixth-place finish at the Hy-Vee Triathlon at West Des Moines, Iowa. The silver medalist at the world championships two weeks ago finished well ahead of the other contender for the U.S. berth, Sarah Groff.

Groff had to be the first American finisher in the ITU World Cup race to claim the spot. Defending champion Laura Bennett was the top American with a fourth-place finish.

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