They make it sound like it was because she was burning fewer calories and had some left over to grow, but I don't think it works that way. My uneducated guess is that it's a posture thing; he spine probably stretched or relaxed in some way after she stopped spending her entire waking life hunched over pedaling.

That surprised me too, but, on second thought, elite athletic training is all about passing limits that apply to everyone else. It's not that weird that some of the unintended consequences are also unheard of in the general population.

I think Grant Hill said he grew a couple of inches in college. People say Kevin Durant is still growing. The guy is tall as some centers in the NBA now.

I suspect you can keep growing a few years past 18. I suspect you can stop growing a few year before 18 as well. I don't think 18 is set in stone but an average age when people reach their adult height. But I think gaining an inch at 26 is rare. But she is an olympic medalist and a rare person.

You can grow into your early twenties or so. Unlikely to grow after that even if administered extra HGH (human growth hormone). At age 26 it seems very weird!

> I've never heard of anyone growing after the age of 18.

Just because you haven't heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

it might just be coincidence since some kids still have a final push of growth with that age.

But children pushed into extreme sports (or "voluntarily pushing themselves") often fail to grow. You can see this with ballet dancers who start too early or gymnasts starting too early.