Hamm trying for 5 medals

ATHENS, Greece — While some Olympians prepared to travel 1,600 years back in time, U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm instead focused on the future — and expanding his Athens medal collection.

His first came when the Americans took the silver in the team competition, only the third medal for the men's team in the last 72 years. Hamm, 22, has a shot at a five more in Athens, since he'll compete Wednesday in the all-around and four individual events.

"I'm taking it very seriously," Hamm said Tuesday. "I feel as if I want to get another medal. I'm going into that competition very aggressively."

And though swimmer Michael Phelps' failed pursuit of Mark Spitz's seven golds has generated most of the Olympic headlines, the men's program director for the U.S. gymnasts thinks Hamm may shift the media's attention from the pool to the mat.

"He could be the most successful male athlete we've seen at these Olympic Games," Ron Galimore said.

Take that, Mr. Phelps.

Before Hamm gets his next chance, it's throwback time at the Summer Games. The shot put was to go off at the original Olympic Stadium in Olympia, the first time in 1,611 years that it will host an athletic competition. The American men arrived there with an eye at sweeping all three medals.

"I'm extremely excited," Reese Hoffa said after arriving at the site five hours outside Athens. "It was kind of an awe thing, getting here. . . . It was amazing. I can't wait."

About 15,000 fans, all with free tickets, will watch as Americans Hoffa, Adam Nelson and John Godina take on the rest of the world's shot putters. The odds of a U.S. sweep?

"I'd put the chances at 50-50," said Godina, a two-time Olympic medalist.

The stadium housed the ancient Olympic Games from 776 B.C. through A.D. 393. NBC will highlight the classic Greek facility throughout its programming, beginning with a middle-of-the-night broadcast of the shot put competition on its MSNBC outlet.

The women's shot put final from the same site will air during NBC's afternoon show, with the men's final providing one of the prime-time highlights Wednesday.

The rest of the network's nightly four-hour block features swimming, with the American women defending their 800-freestyle relay gold and the gymnastics.