PHILADELPHIA — The men's gymnastics selection committee, after deliberating 11 hours over two days in the heat of a Philadelphia summer, named a U.S. Olympic team yesterday, it they hopes will form a more perfect union than the 40-plus other permutations considered.

The American team, winners of the silver medal in 2004 and not favorites to win the gold medal this summer in Beijing, consists of returnees Paul and Morgan Hamm, as well as first-timers Joe Hagerty, Jonathan Horton, Justin Spring and Kevin Tan.

"It was kind of an out-of-body experience hearing my name called," said Tan.

The three alternates are Raj Bhavsar — who missed automatically qualifying on Saturday by 0.09 of a point — Alexander Artemev and David Durante.

Sean Golden, who competed in only three events but totaled the highest scores in two of them Saturday, missed out.

Ron Brant, one of the five-man selection panel, called the process "extremely difficult."

"I think 99.5 percent was based on scores, final results and comparing the best (possible) teams against each other," Brant said.

JOHNSON, LIUKIN CINCH SPOTS ON WOMEN'S TEAM

PHILADELPHIA — Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin are taking their rivalry to the Beijing Olympics.

Johnson and Liukin earned guaranteed spots on the U.S. women's gymnastics team last night after finishing 1-2, respectively, at the Olympic trials yesterday. The remaining four members of the team and three alternates will be named after a July 20 selection camp at the Karolyi ranch in Houston.

Chellsie Memmel continues to make her case, finishing third just as she did at nationals.

The training squad for the final selection camp is Memmel, Samantha Peszek, Jana Bieger, Chelsea Davis, Ivana Hong, Mattie Larson, Corrie Lothrop, Alicia Sacramone, Bridget Sloan and Shayla Worley.

TRIATHLON

KEMPER CLAIMS FINAL SPOT ON MEN'S SQUAD

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hunter Kemper is 3 for 3 in Olympic triathlons.

Kemper claimed the last of three spots on the U.S. men's team for the Beijing Olympics by beating his main rival for the berth, Andy Potts, in the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

Kemper, 32, also competed for the United States in the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.

Denmark's Rasmus Henning won the World Cup race for the second straight year, collecting a $200,000 prize.

Matthew Reed and Jarrod Shoemaker qualified for the U.S. team earlier.

HASKINS WRAPS UP LAST SPOT ON WOMEN'S TEAM

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Sarah Haskins secured the final spot on the three-member U.S. women's team with a sixth-place finish yesterday at the Hy-Vee Triathlon.

The silver medalist at the world championships two weeks ago finished well ahead of the other contender for the U.S. berth, Sarah Groff.

Defending champion Laura Bennett was the top American with a fourth-place finish. Australia's Emma Snowsill, a three-time world champion, won the race, earning $200,000.

Bennett and Julie Ertel already had secured spots on the U.S. team.

DIVING

WILKINSON HEADED TO OLYMPICS FOR 3RD TIME

INDIANAPOLIS — Laura Wilkinson earned her third trip to the Olympics, holding off 15-year-old Haley Ishimatsu on 10-meter platform at the U.S. diving trials yesterday.

Wilkinson, who won the gold medal on platform at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finished with 1214.50 points.

Ishimatsu, who likely will be selected for the second 10-meter spot at a camp in Tennessee, was second with 1140.40.

Also yesterday, David Boudia won the men's 10-meter.

MOUNTAIN BIKING

WELLS, GOULD FIRST TO EARN TRIPS TO BEIJING

TRENTINO, Italy — Todd Wells and Georgia Gould were the first two racers to clinch spots on the U.S. Olympic mountain biking team, after no Americans secured an automatic bid yesterday in the world championships.

Wells, from Durango, Colo., finished 15th in the men's race, while Gould, from Fort Collins, Colo., crashed and still finished ninth in the women's championship.

Each made the Olympic team based on having the best cumulative placing in international races this year.