Gymnast Kohei Uchimura was named the most valuable athlete for the 2014 season by the Japanese Olympic Committee on Tuesday.
Uchimura won the honor for capturing the men's all-around world title for the fifth consecutive time in October. He is the only gymnast to have won more than three all-around world titles.
Special recognition went to tennis player Kei Nishikori for reaching the men's U.S. Open final and female wrestler Kaori Icho, who won her ninth world championship.
Other notable outstanding performers were male swimmer Kosuke Hagino, who netted four titles at the Asian Games, and women's 12-time defending world wrestling champion Saori Yoshida.