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Morgan Hamm out of Olympics with injury

(AP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

BEIJING (AP) Morgan Hamm's eyes were red, his voice shaky.

The bone spurs digging into his left leg made it impossible for him to tumble, and giving up his spot on the U.S. men's gymnastics team was the right thing to do - the only thing to do. That didn't make it hurt any less.

Hamm withdrew Thursday, two days before competition begins. He aggravated a chronic injury in his left ankle during training in Beijing, and it never responded to treatment. He clearly struggled on floor exercise during the men's training session Wednesday, and it wasn't any better Thursday.

Summer Games Extras

AP Gallery: China - The Week in Photos

Click through a weekly gallery taken by AP's award-winning photographers on location in China as they capture daily images reflecting the life and times of a people and a country preparing for the world's most anticipated athletic event.
Measuring Beijing's Air
Officials, fans and athletes have been concerned about Beijing's infamous dirty air. To track air quality, check out the AP's daily report on pollution levels on the Olympic Green.
AP Olympic Beat

Produced on-site in Beijing, a daily update of the 2008 Games featuring the sounds of medal-winners and top American athletes along with insightful commentary by the journalists of The Associated Press.

AP Interactives

Mexico City: 40 Years Later
Forty years after the Summer Games in Mexico City, peeling paint and decaying venues are all that is left as the city's residents use the once-pround facilities for a wide range of activities.
Exercise a Part of China's Morning Ritual
In parks throughout China, people gather each morning to exercise in groups or alone. It is a long-standing ritual and the scenes of stretching and chanting are part of the dawn landscape.
Lifelong Olympic Dreams
Six U.S. athletes share their feelings about being part of the Olympics and representing their country on one of sport's biggest stages.
Reducing Beijing's Pollution
The Chinese government is undertaking several different measures to reduce air pollution in the Beijing area during the Olympics including cutting down on auto traffic, stopping construction projects and shutting down factories.
Olympic Bodies: A Sampler
There is no one kind of body sported by athletes competing in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Each sport has its own demands on build and each athlete showcases what works best in their discipline. Take a tour of the Olympic bodies.
Inside an Olympian's Fridge
U.S. weightlifter Carissa Gump has a well-stocked refrigerator in her kitchen in Colorado Springs where she trains. U.S. Olympic Committee dietician Adam Korzun takes us on a tour of the fridge and tells what makes the food inside work for the athlete.
Long Road to Beijing

Traveling halfway around the world to Beijing is difficult enough for a U.S. athlete, but what about the transport of such gaudy sport accessories as pole vaults, rifles and horses? AP national writer Eddie Pells discusses those logistics with USOC managing director Leslie Gamez.
Cost of Gold

AP sports writer John Leicester takes you through a day in the life of a student at Three Highs Academy, a new school on the outskirts of Beijing that stresses education, morality… and soccer.
AP Interactive: The Torch Relay

Follow the Olympic torch on its 85,000-mile, six-continent journey while watching photo slideshows of the event at every stop. Take a closer look at the torch itself and the long-honored traditions that have made the relay so hallowed.
AP Olympic Calendar

The Olympic schedule is out, and this interactive takes you through every day of events — from pre-Opening Ceremony soccer group play on Aug. 6 to the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 24 — with a listing of sport, time and venue.