NEW YORK — Paul Hamm showed the world he's back while Nastia Liukin reminded everyone she's still very much here.

Hamm and Liukin won the American Cup on Saturday, a prestigious international meet that often serves as a preview for the Olympic all-around competition. And with the Beijing Games less than six months away, the Americans firmly established themselves as contenders for gold.

This was Hamm's first international meet since he won the gold medal in Athens almost four years ago, and he dominated as if he'd never been away. His score of 94.4 points was more than three points ahead of that of fellow American Sasha Artemev (91.150) and reigning world bronze medalist Hisashi Mizutori (90.950).

Liukin, who was upstaged by Shawn Johnson last year as she struggled with an ankle injury, rebounded in impressive form. She finished with 63.425 points while Johnson, the reigning world champion, had 63.1. Fellow Americans Samantha Peszek and Shayla Worley, were third and fourth.

The men's field wasn't nearly as impressive in person as it was on paper. It was originally supposed to test Hamm as if this were a world championships, with world silver medalist Fabian Hambuechen; Mizutori; Jonathan Horton, who was fourth at worlds; and Artemev, a former U.S. champion.

But Hambuechen withdrew after warmups because of a case of the flu, and there spills and bobbles aplenty from Artemev, Mizutori, Horton and Flavius Koczi, the seventh-place finisher at worlds.

Hamm, though, made sure the crowd got its money's worth.

Though he and twin brother Morgan weren't sure if they'd come back from their 2›-year layoff after Athens, he kept a careful eye on two-time world champion Yang Wei and the rest of the competition, analyzing everything they did — and what he'd need to do to beat them.

Yang is the best gymnast in the world technically, and Hamm knows his execution marks will be the key to beating him in Beijing. He's spent hours perfecting his form, and it showed today.

His tumbling passes on floor were powerful and high, yet he landed them as easily as if he was stepping off a curb. On the still rings, an event that requires jaw-clenching strength, he moved so seamlessly it was as if an unseen wire was pulling him from position to position. When he did a handstand, a move that sets the cables wobbling with most gymnasts, the cables were perfectly still.

He got great height on his vault, and though he took a slight hop on the landing, he clapped his hands and smiled in satisfaction while coach Miles Avery nodded.

But it's his high bar routine where he really shines. His back-to-back release moves had the crowd oohing and aahing, and folks at the circus wondering if they should offer him a job.

He had to windmill his arms a couple of times to hold his landing, but he did it. As the crowd applauded, a grin spread across his face and Avery pumped his fist.

Liukin was supposed to be gymnastics' next "It" girl. Her father was a double gold medalist for the Soviet machine at the 1988 Olympics and her mother a world champion in rhythmic gymnastics, and she combines the best of both.

She won four straight U.S. titles — two as a junior and two as a senior — and would have certainly been on the Athens Olympics squad had she been old enough. She's won nine medals at the world championships since 2001, including titles on the balance beam and uneven bars.

But she was hobbled by an ankle injury most of last year, while Johnson made a huge splash, winning every meet she entered, including the American Cup and the world and U.S. championships.

As if anyone needed a reminder, Liukin showed today she's one of the most formidable competitors in the world when healthy.

Her uneven bars routine, her signature event, was dazzling. Despite it being one of the most difficult routines, she flits from bar to bar as if she's weightless and has perfect positioning of her long, lean body. Her handstands are ramrod straight, and ballerinas could take a lesson from her perfectly pointed toes.

Her only flaw was her dismount, which she landed almost in a crouch, but it hardly mattered. Her score of 16.6 was the highest of the day on any event, by a man or woman, and it moved her past Johnson into first place.