The USA Gymnastics confirmed on Sunday that former women's all-round world champion Chellsie Memmelis still hopeful for the Beijing Olympics, although she has injured her ankle in training.

"Memmel is still expected to compete in the Olympic Games," USA Gymnastics said in a short official statement.

"USA Gymnastics is monitoring Chellsie on a daily basis," USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny was quoted as saying.

Memmel won her first individual world title on women's all-around in Melbourne in 2005 by edging her compatriot Nastia Liukin by 0.001 points, but she was unable to defend it the next year after a fall from uneven bars in women's team final hurt her right shoulder.

Her injury is yet another blow to the Americans after Paul, men's all-around gold medalist in Athens, was forced to withdraw from the Olympic team on Monday, failing to recover in time from a hand injury sustained in May.

The American women were expected to offer stiff competition against the hosts but Memmel's injury may give more chances to the Chinese, bidding for a medal haul on home soil.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)