"I didn't get the numbers I wanted today but it feels good, I'd actually say it was nostalgic," said the United States lifter, who has had to move up from 73-kilograms to 89kg because of weight problems during his illness.

He weighed in at 88.95kg today, an increase of 22.02 per cent on his 72.90kg body weight for his last competition in Tokyo nearly two years ago.

"I was battling with depression for a long time, I had injuries too and I put on all this weight.

"Since I got the help I needed I’ve been able to deal with it.

"I feel like I’m back in the right place today."

Cummings, 23, was a superstar of American weightlifting in his teenage years, winning four junior world titles and lucrative sponsorship deals.

"One of the best talents I've ever seen," was the verdict of Pyrros Dimas, the triple Olympic champion who is USA Weightlifting's technical director.

The trouble started for Cummings in the build-up to the Olympic Games, then on the platform in Tokyo where he underperformed.  

Depression hit him “a few months after the Olympics”.

After making only two good lifts for a 325kg total that placed him ninth in the 73kg category in Tokyo in August, 2021, Cummings had said, “it was horrible, I know everyone is going to say they’re proud of me, but I’m not proud of my performance.”

He said as much again on his return today in the 89kg B Group in the IWF Grand Prix here, where he made 143-180-323.

“It was my first Olympic Games and it kind of got in my head,” said Cummings, who had put on weight during his preparation period for Tokyo, after winning the Pan American title in April, 2021 with a total that would have been good enough for a medal in Japan.

He had to go for a world record to make up ground after missing his lifts in Tokyo, and he failed.

“It was bad,” he said. 

“Looking back, the depression sort of got the best of me a few months later but I didn’t tell anybody.

“I thought I could deal with it myself but it hit me bad.

“About three or four months ago I told everybody and I got the help I needed.”

USA Weightlifting provided a psychologist, Cummings had family support, and he decided to get back on the Olympic pathway. 

This competition was the last chance for anybody hoping to join the qualifying programme for Paris 2024.

Cummings, 23, lost his national team stipend, which he can regain if he puts about 20kg on his numbers, but he is back in business and aiming “to get down to 73 again” in the coming months.

“There’s no rush,” he said.

He has competed in national competitions at 81kg and 89kg since his problems started back in 2021 but had not made a lift in international competition until he successfully opened with 143kg.

He failed with the next two attempts at 148kg and 153kg, and also missed his last two clean and jerks at 190kg after opening with 180kg.

“It’s been such a long time,” he said. “I was nervous but it was great to be back on the platform, to see the best from all around the world.

“I’m back in the right place.”