The 70-year-old, who won three Olympic gold medals on the track and currently serves as vice-president of the Polish Olympic Committee (POC), was given the honour by Japanese Ambassador in Poland Shigeo Matsutomi at a ceremony in Warsaw.

She also received a diploma signed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe.

"I sincerely thank the Japanese emperor, Prime Minister and ambassador for this honourable distinction," Szewińska, who won a total of seven Olympic medals during her athletics career, said.

Szewińska was bestowed with the Order of the Rising Sun for her outstanding sports career, as well as her work within sport and the Olympic Movement.

She made an active contribution to the development of friendly relations between the two countries as she maintained close ties with Japan after the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, where she won gold in the women's 4x100 metres relay and silver in the 200m and long jump.

Szewińska, who became an IOC member at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, is also currently a member of the Coordination Commission for Tokyo 2020.

"Irena Szewińska is actively involved in the organisation of events related to sport, both in Poland and in Japan," Matsutomi said. 

"We appreciate her class and character. 

"The fact that such a person manifests so much respect and understanding for Japan has a great influence on the attitude of Poles to my country."

Szewińska shot to fame with her performances at Tokyo 1964 and went on to become one of the greatest athletes of her time.

The Polish competitor won gold in the 200m at the Olympics in Mexico City four years later and also claimed the 400m title at the 1976 Games in Montreal.