Several of the world's top modern pentathletes are set to compete at the event in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games candidate city, with qualification starting tomorrow.

Action is scheduled to take place at Fairplex, a 543-acre events destination in the city of Pomona, located in Los Angeles County, while the nearby Claremont Club will stage swimming events.

Lesun, who banished the memories of his London 2012 meltdown by clinching the gold medal at last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, will line up against old foe David Svoboda of the Czech Republic.

The Czech competitor won the race in London five years ago and remains a threat on the UIPM World Cup circuit.

Pavlo Tymoshchenko of the Ukraine, world champion in 2015 and silver medallist at Rio 2016, and Britain's Jamie Cooke have also entered the men's competition in Los Angeles.

A strong field is also due to compete in the women's event as it includes 2008 Olympic champion Lena Schoeneborn of Germany and reigning world champion Sarolta Kovács of Hungary.

"This World Cup in the wonderful environment of Fairplex will be the first step on a four-year competitive journey to the next Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, and I know the athletes will be performing at a very high level," UIPM President Klaus Schormann said.

"My thanks go to the US Modern Pentathlon Association, the US Olympic Committee and the organising team in Los Angeles as well as the volunteers, sponsors and media who will make this important first World Cup of 2017 happen."

The first medals of the event will be won on Friday (February 24) when the women's individual final is held.

The men's final follows the next day, before the mixed relay competition brings the curtain-raising UIPM World Cup to a close on Sunday (February 26).