Gymnastics star Kohei Uchimura is hoping the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will go ahead following the successful one-off international gymnastics event in Tokyo.

The event which took place over the weekend was seen as a major trial ahead of the postponed Games that are due to take place next summer.

It marked the first multinational sporting contest Japan has held since the coronavirus pandemic.

Defending Olympic all-around champion Uchimura said afterwards: "I think this event is a good model case for other sports and other athletes.

"The question we should be asking ourselves is not whether we can hold the Games or not - but how, and all of us need to put our heads together to make sure that it does go ahead. 

“I want people to start thinking differently. I say this, however, knowing full well that it will not be easy…But I’m certain there is a way to make it happen.”

The event saw a total of 30 athletes from Japan, China, Russia and the US compete in the Friendship and Solidarity competition at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium, with around 2,000 fans attending. 

Team Solidarity won the event with 423,600 points as Team Friendship finished on 421,300. 

The winning team also featured Russia's reigning all-around world champion Nikita Nagornyy, as Uchimura dominated in his first international competition since 2018. 

Reigning World All-Around bronze medallist Angelina Melnikova scored the highest for Team Friendship across the board.