Paul Hamm's withdrawal opens door for many

Paul HammPhoto Gallery>>(BEIJING, August 4) -- The Athens 2004 all-around champion, Paul Hamm, withdrew from Beijing 2008 on July 28 with a shoulder injury.

A healthy Paul Hamm is a huge asset, so his withdrawal puts the US men's team squarely on the back foot. But Team USA is definitely not a weak team without Hamm, considering that they finished fourth last year at the 2007 World Championships in Germany without him.

If no major mistakes are made, a podium finish in the men's team competition is still a high possibility.

However, Team USA will no longer be as competitive at Beijing 2008. Hamm's decision to withdraw obviously opens the door for Team China to win the men's team medal that it has long-coveted.

For the men's all-around competition, on the other hand, there are a few gymnasts who might benefit from a Hamm-free Beijing Games: Yang Wei of China, Hiroyuki Tomita of Japan, Fabian Hambuechen of Germany, as well as Yang Tae-young and Kim Dae-eun from the Republic of Korea all stand to benefit from his absence.