Japan's gold medallist Sarah Asahina recites her national anthem on the podium following the women's Judo World Championships Open in Marrakesh ©Getty Images

Japanese heavyweight Sarah Asahina won the gold medal at the International Judo Federation Openweight World Championships in Marrakesh.

The 21-year-old defeated Larisa Ceric, aged 26, of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the final.

Asahina had earlier defeated Cuba's Idalys Ortiz in the last four.

She had earlier come through Pool A of the four-pool tournament, defeating both France's Anne Bairo and Russia's Olga Artoshina.

Ceric had progressed to the final having beaten Tessie Savelkouls, of the Netherlands, in the semi-finals of the main draw.

She had earlier progressed through Pool C against Cuba's Eliannis Aguilar and South Africa's Unelle Snyman.

Bosnia's silver medallist Larisa Ceric, Japan's gold medallist Sarah Asahina, Tunisia's bronze medallist Nihel Cheikh Rouhou and Cuba's bronze medallist Idalys Ortiz pose on the podium with their medals following their women's Judo World Championships Open in Marrakesh ©Getty Images
Bosnia's silver medallist Larisa Ceric, Japan's gold medallist Sarah Asahina, Tunisia's bronze medallist Nihel Cheikh Rouhou and Cuba's bronze medallist Idalys Ortiz pose on the podium with their medals following their women's Judo World Championships Open in Marrakesh ©Getty Images

Asahina won the World Championship silver medal earlier this year in Budapest. 

She won the Grand Slams in Paris and Ekaterinburg in 2017 and was chosen for the World Championships. 

Asahina won the World Junior Championships at under-21 level three years ago in Miami. 

Asahina was one of the youngest-ever winners of a senior World Cup event at the age of 16, in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2013. 

She won the Kodokan Cup in 2015, the Kodokan Cup in Chiba in 2014 and the Grand Slam in Tokyo in 2016.

Ortiz, who defeated France's Romane Dicko, and Tunisia's Nihel Chikrouhou, who was victorious against Savelkouls, both won bronze in the repechage section.

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