Tokyo 2020 Olympic athletes honored at ANOC Awards 2021

HERAKLION, Greece - The best athletes of this summer's Tokyo Olympic Games were honored on Sunday during the awards ceremony of the 2021 ANOC Awards, held in the port city of Heraklion on Greece's island of Crete.

In the context of the two-day XXV General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the annual awards highlighted the hard work, dedication and inspiring performances of athletes and the teams supporting them at Tokyo 2020, celebrating sport and Olympic values.

Estonia's epee fencing team won the award for Best Female Multiple Athlete Event of Tokyo 2020 and Italy's cycling track team pursuit took Best Male Multiple Athlete Event.

"It is not easy staying 3, 4 or 5 years with the focus just for one result," Italian athlete Filippo Ganna said while receiving his award.

New Zealand's rugby sevens won the award for Best Female Team and Japan's baseball squad took Best Male Team.

Canadian swimmer Maggie McNeil was honored as Best Female Athlete of Tokyo 2020, with Kenya's marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge named Best Male Athlete.

In addition to the ANOC Awards, the Hellenic Olympic Committee honored Tokyo 2020 long jump gold medal winner Miltiadis Tentoglou as Best Greek Athlete.

"We are fighters, we are warriors, we fight until the end," Tentoglou said of the perseverance and mental strength of top athletes.

Sunday's celebratory event was attended by International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, Greek Culture and Sports Minister Lefteris Avgenakis, and representatives from the IOC, NOCs, International Federations (IFs) and other Olympic stakeholders.

During the General Assembly, among other sessions, representatives of the organizers of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing will present their report.