U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm flew through the air, spun dizzying circles around a high bar and stuck a landing to become the first American man to win the gold medal in the men's all-around competition. When the final numbers were tallied, he had won by a few thousandths of a point.

Hamm had not only made gymnastics history, but he also stunned the world with a seemingly miraculous comeback. His never-say-die attitude is an inspiration to us all. After Hamm's uncharacteristic crash-landing near the judges' tables during the vaulting event, he was written off by almost everyone. Even Hamm's coach, Miles Avery, said, "I thought it was over."

The devastatingly low vault score dropped Hamm's standing from first to 12th. A gold medal after that, as the commentators of the gymnastics events continually harped, could be nothing more than a dream.

Had Hamm mentally quit then, he would have certainly lost. But what happened next is one of the greatest comeback stories in Olympics history. He nailed his final two events - the high bar and the parallel bars - earning two straight scores of 9.837 out of a possible 10.

Hamm, who grew up swinging from the rafters of his family's barn in Wisconsin, had fulfilled a dream he set for himself long ago.

All athletes who make it to the Olympics are world-class. They have dedicated their lives to the sport they love. But the truly incredible athletes have something more than just hours at the gym. They have an energetic spark.

Hamm is one of those rare, incredible athletes. When he stepped up to his final two events, there was no doubt in his mind about still having a shot at the gold. He made the most of his chances and performed the best routines of his life.

While dramatic to watch, gymnastics isn't a forgiving sport. When an athlete makes a minor mistake, a wobble on a balance beam or a misstep on a floor exercise, it can cost a tenth of a point along with any hope of winning a medal. They are written off as sloppy, unfocused and incapable of making a comeback.

Hamm proved to the judges, commentators and spectators the power of perseverance. It's only at the end of the race, when the scores can be thousandths of a point apart, that you discover who was strongest, physically and mentally, to be called the very best.

On Wednesday it was Paul Hamm.