Paricipants were invited to write about their memories of last year's delayed Olympic Games, with volunteer, youth and general categories comprising the contest.

Winners were invited to a celebration at the Japan Olympic Museum in the capital.

Kazuyo Takeuchi won the volunteer contest's grand prize.

Takeuchi had recalled being unsure of whether to follow through with volunteering until the day their unpaid labour began, because of COVID-19 fears.

A driver in the Athletes' Village, Takeuchi identified ferrying competitors around as a highlight, as well as catching glimpses of an awestruck athlete from Afghanistan in the rear-view mirror.

Kenichi Suzuki, who wrote about the Olympics connecting people, picked up the general category's grand prize.

The youth division grand prize went to Yu Matsuoka.

Takeuchi and Suzuki both attended the awards ceremony in Tokyo.

JOC Athletes' Commission member Hanae Ito, who swam at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympics, presented the event.

Tokyo 2020 mascots Miraitowa and Someity also made an appearance and helped Ito to send a message of congratulations to youth grand winner Matsuoka, who could not attend.

Twenty other submissions across the three categories were given to secondary outstanding performance honours.

The competition was part of the JOC's efforts to mark the one-year anniversary of the Olympics.

Tokyo 2020's reputation risks being tarnished in Japan because of a sprawling corruption investigation which has seen Organising Committee Executive Board member Haruyuki Takahashi charged on four counts relating to the selection of sponsors.

Officials from some sponsors have also been indicted, while prosecutors raided the headquarters of advertising giant Dentsu last week as they also probe irregularities surrounding test events.