It was a nine-medal road trip

ATHENS -- Though Romania topped the table with 10 medals when the Olympic gymnastics competition ended last night, the US enjoyed its best performance ever at an overseas Games, with all-around champions Paul Hamm and Carly Patterson both winning silvers in the event finals.

For the Americans, who failed to win a medal for the first time in 28 years in 2000, their nine here (two gold, six silver, one bronze) was an astounding achievement.

Had Morgan Hamm not lost the high-bar bronze to Japan's Isao Yoneda on a tiebreaker last night, the US haul would have equaled its total for all previous Games outside of the States. "Now, we'll go back home and start again," said USA Gymnastics president Bob Colarossi.

Going into last night's concluding five apparatus finals, the Americans already had won both all-around golds and both team silvers, plus silvers from Annia Hatch on vault and Terin Humphrey on uneven bars and a bars bronze from Courtney Kupets.

Yesterday, Hamm added a high-bar silver, losing the gold to Italy's Igor Cassina on a tiebreaker.

"I'm very proud of my performance in the whole tournament," said Hamm. "I was especially good under the conditions that I performed in, with the audience booing for Alexei Nemov's score. But I got over it and did my routine really well."

Patterson's silver on balance beam behind Romania's Catalina Ponor, who also won on bars, also gave her three medals. "It's an experience I'll cherish forever," said Patterson, who missed the gold medal by just 12 thousandths of a point.

Patterson also had the last laugh over Russian rival Svetlana Khorkina, who'd claimed that the judges were biased in the American's favor.

"I guess she's just a sore loser," said Patterson, who'd beaten Khorkina in the all-around, then watched the two-time champion falter on bars Sunday. "I had to fight for every half of a 10th. I don't care what she says. I got the gold."

The Romanians left here with four golds, including the women's team title, Ponor's two plus Monica Rosu's in vault. "It's a very good result for us, winning four of six possible gold medals," said coach Octavian Belu. "I think this is the next generation and the new hope for the future."

Last night's other victors were Ukraine's Valeri Goncharov on parallel bars (9.787) and Spain's Gervasio Deferr, who was defending champion on vault.