Gymnastics: National champ out

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PHILADELPHIA -- David Sender, who came out of last month’s U.S. gymnastics national championships as the all-around gold medal winner after heavily favored Paul Hamm was injured, had to withdraw Thursday from the first day of the men’s Olympic Trials.

Sender, 22, who recently completed his senior season at Stanford, badly sprained his right ankle Wednesday and on Thursday said he wouldn’t be competing on the first night of the two-day trials here. His coach, Thom Glielmi, said it is possible Sender could try and compete in the finals Saturday night at the Wachovia Center.

‘We are taking this day by day,’ Glielmi said. ‘We are treating his sprain very aggressively, and the medical team has been very encouraged by the mobility and strength [of David’s ankle]. We will see how things stand on Saturday.’

The injury was freakish. During a high-bar practice session Wednesday, Sender fell on a release move. The bar was vibrating because Sender had hit it so hard when he fell. So Sender, who is from Arlington Heights, Ill., jumped up to stop the bar’s movement. When he landed, he rolled his ankle on the edge of the landing mat.

Sender would still be eligible to be named to the Olympic team even if he doesn’t compete Saturday. The Olympic selection process allows for an injured athlete to petition onto the Olympic team. It is what

defending Olympic all-around gold medalist Hamm is doing after breaking his hand on the first night of the national championships and is not competing here.

The selection committee, headed by team coordinator Ron Brant ,will consider Sender’s performance at nationals and medical updates about when Sender would be able to fully practice.

The committee likely would be hesitant to place two injured athletes who missed all or part of the trials onto the team. Hamm’s Olympic history -- and the fact that he led the national championships by nearly four points before his injury -- earns him more consideration.

A six-man team roster must be submitted to the U.S. Olympic Committee by July 1. Substitutions can be made until noon Beijing time Aug. 8. The U.S. can name up to three alternates.

-- Diane Pucin