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Kay Poe of Team USA attempted to score a point against Ji-hyun Kang of Team Korea during match five of the tae kwon do competition at the Titan Games on Saturday. Team USA won the Silver medal. SAORI YONEDA / DAILY STAFF [Click to enlarge]

As American boxer Andre Ward pounded away at his opponent, the noise from his fans roared steadily.

Right jab. Thud

"C'mon 'Dre!"

Right cross. Thwack.

"Beat him 'Dre! Beat that boy!"

By the time Ward's opponent, Anibal Rodriguez of Puerto Rico, retired in the second round, the noise in the southeast corner of the Event Center was deafening.

"The feeling is astronomical. He worked so hard for this," said Ward's mom, Madeline Dumass, one of Ward's estimated 200 supporters in attendance. "I'm speechless."

Ward certainly wasn't.

"This is the first time I've fought in front of my family in years and it felt great. This is a beautiful day. I can't put it into words," said Ward, who hasn't lost an amateur bout since 1998 and is a gold medal prospect for the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics. "I'm very happy with the match. This was a nice fight on the way to the Olympics. I got a chance to fight in front of a huge crowd and I think my fans enjoyed the effort."

Just another Titan Games Olympic dream.

The games - an eight-discipline event made up of the combative sports of the Summer Olympics - completed its three-day run at the Event Center on Saturday night, with a near-capacity crowd of 4,150.

Former world and Olympic champions and 2004 Olympic prospects battled for individual and team championships as well as for the honor of, "Ultimate Titan."

"We say the Olympic spirit is every day, not every four years. We wanted to do something to showcase that," United States Olympic Committee CEO Lloyd Ward said. "This Olympic movement we're bringing is all about the athletes. Nineteen countries, 184 athletes and eight governing bodies came together in the spirit of competition."

The games opened on Thursday night to lackluster but enthusiastic audience. Interest grew on Friday night when some of the games featured athletes such as 2000 Olympic wrestling gold medallist Rulon Gardner and college-wrestling icon Cael Sanderson (159-0, four NCAA titles).

Saturday's card brought an outright frenzied support for American and international competitors from fans in attendance, many of whom may have been seeing their first tae kwon do or fencing match in their lives.

"It's an awesome experience. You look out and you see all of these great competitors and you're really excited to be here," said American weightlifter Shane Hamman, who won the 105-kilogram (231 pound) weight class. "I saw Rulon Gardner getting ready to wrestle his match while I was getting ready to lift. I just wanted to stop and watch him."

Gardner felt the same way.

"In between rounds you hear Shane Hamman is going for a 500-pound lift and you think, 'Hey, I really want to see that one,' " Gardner said. "It's awesome to see the weightlifters getting out and doing their thing. People get a chance to watch judo, then fencing then come over and watch some wrestling."

An obvious fan favorite because of his Olympic exploits, Gardner may have been the games' single-biggest draw.

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