It comes after a stunning year for the 23-year-old in which he also claimed European senior and under-23 titles.

Talakahadze, who served a two-year doping ban from 2013 to 2015 after failing a test for stanozolol, returned to set an overall world record of 473 kilograms in the over 105kg final in Rio de Janeiro.

This came in thrilling fashion after Iranian favourite Behded Salimikordasiabi was controversially adjudged to have failed to register a valid clean and jerk lift.

Talakahadze also lifted a total of 463kg to win the European title in Førde.

He was also upgraded to gold at the 2015 World Championships after the doping-related disqualification of initial Russian winner Aleksey Lovtchev.

He was honoured by the Georgian Sports Ministry at a ceremony taking place in Tblisi's Hotels & Preference Hualing Hotel.

“This means a lot for me, 2016 was the best period of my career, but that does not mean anything," he said afterwards.

"I have to keep working with the same passion as before and I hope to be in a great shape, come 2017. 

"This would not be possible without assistance from my coaches, without love from my friends and of course, my family. 

"This is dedicated to all of you."

Vladimer Khinchagashvili, the wrestler who won the award in 2015, came second this time around after claiming under 57kg freestyle gold at Rio 2016. 

Weightlifting dominated the awards as over 75kg world junior silver medallist Anastasia Hotfrid was named Female Athlete of the Year.

Head coach of the Georgian weightlifting National Team, Giorgi Asanidze, was voted as a Coach of the Year.