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Olympic gold medallist Mary Lou Retton is "fighting for her life" in an intensive care unit, her daughter Mckenna Kelley has announced.

Retton, 55, has been diagnosed with a "very rare form of pneumonia" and is "not able to breathe on her own".

She became the first American woman to win the all-around gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.

Making the announcement on crowdfunding site Spotfund, Kelley revealed Retton does not have health insurance.

"We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill," she said.

Alongside her gold medal, former gymnast Retton won two silver medals and two bronze medals at the LA Games while still a high school student.

Following her Olympic success in 1984, Retton appeared on Wheaties cereal boxes and was named Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportswoman of the Year.

She won the American Cup all-around competition three times before retiring in 1986.

Retton was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and featured as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2018, where she finished ninth.