Olympic Champion Paul Hamm Teaches Gymnastics in Downers Grove

An Olympic gold medal gymnast has landed a new coaching job in Downers Grove.

Paul Hamm, the 2004 Olympic all-around champion in Athens, recently joined the coaching staff at Premier Gymnastics Academy, 2435 Curtiss St.

“We are really excited for Paul coming on board," said Mark Diab, owner of Premier Gymnastics. "With his huge technical knowledge from training and competition experience he will be a great mentor to all the kids in our program.”

In 2004, at the age of 21, Hamm became the first American to win a gold medal in the mens all-around competition. He also competed in the 2000 games in Sydney.

Although he was unable to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games due to injury, Hamm won three competitions that year—the Winter Cup Challenge in Las Vegas, the American Cup in New York and the Pacific Rim Championships in San Jose.

He retired from competing in 2012.

Hamm, 30, grew up in Washburn, WI. He started taking gymnastics classes when he was 9 years old, and trained from ages 10 to 21 in West Allis Wisconsin.

Hamm said he looks forward to creating a fun environment for his students at Premier.

“I will make fundamental simplistic techniques fun by using games and setting goals,” Hamm said. “My goal at Premier is foster the development of Premier's young athletes to reach regional and national competitions.”

Hamm is the second coach at Premier with Olympic experience. Georgi Vidnov, who coached Bulgaria's 1996 and 2006 Olympic teams, joined the staff last year.

Premier Gymnastics Academy has locations in Downers Grove and Oswego. Both gyms offer recreational gymnastics for boys and girls of all ages and abilities along with tumbling classes, preschool and kindergarten tumbling, and gymnastics for children 18 months and older.