Gymnast Hamm bound for Beijing after proving fitness

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Olympic all-round champion Paul Hamm confirmed his place in the U.S. gymnastics team for the Beijing Games on Saturday after proving he had recovered from a broken right hand, officials said.

Hamm, who fractured the fourth metacarpal on his right hand on May 22, was named to the team at the U.S. Olympic trials on June 21 pending his ability to show that he would be ready to compete in Beijing.

"Paul showed the men's selection committee that he will contribute to the team's efforts in Beijing," Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics, said in a statement.

"He has worked hard to maintain his level of conditioning, and we are pleased with his progress."

In the 2004 Athens Games, Hamm became the first American to win the men's Olympic all-round gold medal and also captured a silver in the horizontal bar and helped the U.S. men's team to a silver in the team competition.

Hamm also trail-blazed in 2003, when he became the first U.S. man to win world championship all-around title.

Hamm, whose twin brother Morgan will be his U.S. Olympic team mate for a third successive Games, took time off after Athens to complete his education and returned to competitive gymnastics last year.

"Paul has been able to participate fully at our nine-day team preparation camp. In addition, the men's selection committee observed Paul perform routines on events critical to team success during the intrasquad meet," said Dennis McIntyre, senior director of men's program for USA Gymnastics.

"Based on his training and routines, Paul has demonstrated his competitive readiness to our satisfaction. We believe Paul's contributions to the team will help us in our quest for a spot on the medals podium."

(Writing by Larry Fine, editing by Pritha Sarkar)