The top G-ranking tournament will take place at the Greek capital’s Ano Liosia Olympic Indoor Hall.

The prestige of the event is highlighted again this year by the participation of top-class taekwondo athletes competing two weeks before the European Championships in Kazan in Russia.

Among those vying for honours will be two Olympic, world and European gold medallists; Radik Isayev of Azerbaijan and Joel González Bonilla of Spain.

Other notable names include Russia’s Aleksey Denisenko, a two-time Olympic medallist, and Azerbaijan’s Milad Beigi Harchegani, an under-80 kilograms Olympic bronze medallist at the Rio 2016 and the European champion in that same year. 

World silver medallist Vladislav Larin of Russia also features in a star-studded line-up along with European champions Mourad Laachraoui of Belgium, Rui Bragança of Portugal and Aaron Cook of Moldova.

Leading female athletes include Turkey’s Nur Tatar, a two-time Olympic medallist and the reigning world champion, and Azerbaijan’s Patimat Abakarova, a Rio 2016 bronze medallist.

Turkey’s İrem Yaman, a world and European gold medallist, and Russia’s Tatiana Kudashova, the reigning European champion in the 53kg category, are also in line to compete.

The event is organised by World Taekwondo Europe (WTE) and supported by the South Greek Taekwondo Union (ETANE).

"It is a great pleasure to welcome all the international athletes, coaches, referees and officials in the city of Athens for the 2018 World Taekwondo President’s Cup Europe," WTE President Sakis Pragalos said.

"I would like to take the chance to thank the South Greek Taekwondo Union and all the individuals involved, for their dynamic contribution in the realisation of the event and all the delegates that will give their presence at this massive G-ranking taekwondo tournament.

"The supremacy of the event has been emphasised and empowered by the new record of participation of 2,500 athletes from 63 countries, including elite athletes of our sport - Olympic, world and European champions.

"To all international athletes that will be present at Ano Liosia Olympic Indoor Hall, I would like to wish the best of results and, most importantly, that you enjoy this significant event."

WTE secretary general Michael Fysentzidis added: "The World Taekwondo President’s Cup is undeniably an extraordinary innovation tournament which was first introduced in Bonn, Germany in 2016.

"One year later, it became an all-time record event and now the third edition breaks its own record with 2,500 participants.

"The attentiveness of the taekwondo family in the 2018 version met and surpassed the high expectations and this is a major motivation for all individuals involved in the provisions for the anticipated G-ranking tournament.2