FILIPINO-JAPANESE Mariya Takahashi made her debut in the World Judo Seniors Championships 2018 in Baku, Azerbaijan recently.

The 17-year-old athlete, competing for the first time in the tournament, lost to 26-year-old Naranjargal Tsend-Ayush of Mongolia via Ippon during the first round of their women's - 70 kilogram event.

The loss came on the heels of her 18th Asian Games defeat in Indonesia where she also competed for the first time.

Takahashi, a Southeast Asian (SEA) Games champion, is the only child of Japanese Tomoki and Lynlyn who hails from Mapawa, in Maragusan, Compostela Valley.

Meanwhile, Asian Games silver medalist Kiyomi Watanabe defeated Jijeong Kim of South Korea in the first round of the women's -63 kilogram class but succumbed to Spain's Isabel Puche via Ippon in the second round.