ATHENS -- Michael Phelps won his fifth Olympic gold medal Friday -- his seventh medal and one short of the one-Games record -- then gave up his spot in today's final swimming relay to a teammate. Away from the competition, International Gymnastics Federation spokesman Philippe Silacci said the organization will review the judging in the victory by U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm in the men's all-around event after a protest from South Korea, although Hamm will keep his gold. Silacci said judges may be sanctioned if errors are found. Hamm won the event Wednesday by 0.012 points -- the narrowest margin in Olympics history -- after rallying from a fall on his vault. South Korean gymnasts finished second and third. Meanwhile yesterday, after admittedly being nervous in her first 100-meter heat, 20-year-old Lauryn Williams of Rochester, Beaver County, had no problem getting off to a quick start in her second-round heat. Williams posted the second-fastest time of the night at 11.03. All of the Americans -- Williams, LaTasha Colander (11.20) and Gail Devers (11.31) -- qualified for the semifinal heat, although Devers beat out a Russian sprinter by .01 seconds to secure her spot. By far, Williams looked the best. "I'm getting more and more confident each time," she said yesterday. "I'm excited for tomorrow. If I nail that start like I did, God only knows what happens." Williams added: "Any medal would be good, but a gold medal will be great." In other events yesterday:

Alan Webb was outmaneuvered and outrun in the first round of the 1,500 meters -- a quick exit for the runner who was supposed to end America's streak of mediocrity in middle-distance races. Webb was trying to end a 36-year U.S. drought in the Olympic 1,500 meters. Twenty-four runners advanced; Webb had the 25th-fastest time. The United States softball team remained unbeaten for the Olympics -- and for one day, Japan was perfect, too. The Americans beat Taiwan for their seventh straight Olympic shutout and their 77th consecutive win. Cat Osterman struck out 10 in six innings, and the United States completed a perfect run through the preliminary round -- setting up a U.S.-Australia showdown in the semifinals. Later, Yukiko Ueno did Osterman one better -- pitching the first perfect game in Olympic history -- to lead Japan past China. Ueno struck out nine batters. Approaching a record Phelps beat Ian Crocker, who led for most of the race, on his final stroke of the 100-meter butterfly to finish in 51.25 seconds for a new Olympic record. "The things I am doing right now I have dreamed about all my life," Phelps told reporters yesterday. Phelps earned his seventh medal yesterday -- a medal short of the one-Games record held by Soviet Union gymnast Alexander Dityatin in 1980. Crocker, the world-record holder, was four-hundredths of a second slower and took the silver. After his victory yesterday, Phelps gave up his place in tomorrow's 400-meter medley -- the final swimming event -- to Crocker. "Giving that is tough, it really is," Phelps said. "But Ian is one of the greater relay swimmers on the U.S. team. We came into this meet as a team, and we're going to leave it as a team." If the Americans win a medal today, Phelps will equal Dityatin's record because he took part in the preliminary. Gymnastics controversy Members of the International Gymnastics Federation met yesterday to consider a protest lodged by South Korean officials over judging in the men's all-around competition Wednesday. American Paul Hamm won the gold medal by the narrowest margin in Olympic history, edging South Korea's Kim Dae-eun by 0.012 points. Regardless of the outcome, Hamm will not be stripped of his all-around gold -- the first by an American man in Olympic history, a federation spokesman told The Associated Press. South Korea's protest isn't over Hamm's scores or those of Kim. The objection focuses on the score that bronze-medal winner Yang Tae-young received on parallel bars. South Korean officials contend that judges credited Yang's routine with a 10.0 start value -- the highest possible -- during preliminaries and in team finals, but dropped it to 9.9 during the all-around competition. Had Yang been credited with the extra tenth of a point, his final score would have moved him ahead of Hamm for gold. Under international gymnastics rules, a score can be changed only if a protest is lodged and found legitimate before athletes proceed to their next rotation. Because no objection was raised during the competition Wednesday, the scores cannot be changed. If federation officials conclude that a judge erred, that judge could be sanctioned. Drug concerns The seventh full day of events yesterday -- with 20 gold medals at stake -- was overshadowed by the prospect of Greece losing another athlete because of drugs. The Greek Olympic Committee didn't identify the athlete who had traces of a banned drug in his system. Greek television network TV Alte quoted coach Christos Iacovou as saying the athlete was Leonidis Sampanis -- the bronze medalist in the 62-kilogram weightlifting class and a five-time world champion. Greece's Olympic sprint medalists Kostas Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou withdrew from competition Wednesday, having missed doping tests. Greek officials also ejected two members from the baseball team over drugs. Uzbekistan's shot-putter Olga Shchukina and India's weightlifter Thingbaijam Sanamacha Chanu were expelled yesterday after the pair tested positive for banned substances. In other news yesterday, Zimbabwe won its second-ever gold medal as Kirsty Coventry took the women's 200-meter backstroke. The United States -- with 17 gold medals -- leads China by two in the standings and tops the total tally with 40 medals. Additional Information: Hamm to visit 'Burgh

Olympic gold medalist Paul Hamm will headline the Rock and Roll Gymnastics tour Sept. 11 at the Mellon Arena. Top gymnasts from around the world, including Hamm's brother, Morgan, and several other current and former Olympic medalists, are scheduled to participate. Hip-hop artist Jojo will host the show. Tickets are available at the Mellon Arena box office, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling (412) 323-1919. More details are available at www.mellonarena.com .

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