MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins pitching prospect Loek Van Mil's Olympic experience ended prematurely when the super-sized right-hander felt a pop in his pitching elbow during a bullpen session in Beijing, China.

The 7-foot-1, 232-pound farmhand was only in China for three days before being sent to the Twin Cities to have his elbow examined by Twins doctors. Van Mil was selected last month to the squad representing the Netherlands.

An MRI revealed a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament, although the extent of the injury will not be known until further testing is completed.

Van Mil said he has been told he will miss six to eight weeks if results from the first MRI are confirmed by Twins doctors.

Van Mil lamented missing the Olympics, but he said it was nice to finally see the Metrodome -- "It's bigger than I thought it would be, actually," he said -- and take in Monday evening's Twins-Yankees game.

Before leaving Beijing, Van Mil was able to participate in the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics.

"The facilities were great," Van Mil said of China. "The climate was more bad. It was like 90-100 degrees with a 90-percent humidity. With the smog, it wasn't too good. But the facilities were great. The baseball fields just looked like our Spring Training facilities in America. The Olympic village was great, the dining hall was phenomenal. No complaints."

Van Mil, 23, pitched in 28 games for Class A Beloit, going 2-2 with a 3.22 ERA and three saves, while striking out 42 in 44 2/3 innings.

He has enjoyed an increase in velocity this season after heeding advice from a Minor League coach who told him to pitch "like he was 7-foot-1," meaning to let 'er rip.

Van Mil, who said he had never experimented with throwing as hard as he could, reaped immediate dividends.

"From one day, I think I was 87-91 [mph] to throwing 94-95," Van Mil said. "Pitching got a lot more fun after that, because it became easier. I didn't have to think as much about changeups and curveballs. Especially at the lower levels, you can overpower people with fastballs."

Van Mil will probably have to continue the overpowering next year. The rest required for the injury to heal will probably prevent an '08 return.