The winners from the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) Awards pose with their prizes at the Tokyo International Forum ©JOC

Kaori Icho’s historic achievements in women’s wrestling at the Olympic Games have seen her named the Most Valuable Athlete at an award ceremony held at the Tokyo International Forum.

The 32-year-old was presented with the prize at the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) Awards after she achieved a gold medal for a fourth consecutive Games at last year’s event in Rio de Janeiro.

Icho topped the podium in the women’s freestyle 58 kilogram category in the Brazilian city.

This victory made her the first female to win golds at four Games in a row in the same discipline, having won the 63kg titles at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

Kaori Icho won her fourth gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games ©Getty Images
Kaori Icho won her fourth gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Other gongs handed out on the night saw gymnast Kohei Uchimura win the Special Distinction Award.

Uchimura won two golds at Rio 2016 in the men’s team and all-around.

He also won all-around gold at London 2012 and has four Olympic silvers to his name.

The awards ceremony was followed up by the 2017 Olympic Concert, an annual event staged by the JOC since 1997.