O-for-three

Hamm falters again, finishes last in parallel bars

ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Valeri Goncharov of Ukraine won the gold medal in parallel bars Monday, defeating Hiroyuki Tomita of Japan by 0.012 points.

Two-time reigning world champion Li Xiaopeng of China took bronze. All-around champion Paul Hamm of the United States finished tied for last among the eight competitors and failed to medal for the third straight time in event finals.

All eight gymnasts were within 0.050 of each other. Hamm took a slight step back on his dismount that could have made the difference between first and last.

Goncharov, who finished second at European Championships in parallel bars, gave Ukraine its first gymnastics medal of the Athens Games.