Nearly 500 competitors from 44 countries are due to gather at the Şehit Polis Recep Topaloğlu Sports Hall for the first edition of the event since karate's inclusion on the programme for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games was confirmed.

Recchia, 28, is chasing her third continental crown having also claimed top honours in the women's kumite under-50 kilograms category in 2013 and 2016. 

"As the tournament is about to start, I am focusing on explosiveness and speed," she said.

"I am working on fighting aspects and on some issues to gain confidence and to get a good recovery."

Switzerland’s Elena Quirici is another karateka aiming to repeat a gold medal-winning performance from last year, when she overcame Austria's Alisa Buchinger in the final of the women’s kumite under-68kg category.

World ranking leader Ingrida Suchankova of Slovakia is considered the favourite in the women's kumite under-61kg category as she bids for a first European gold medal, while world champion Jordan Thomas of England will be aiming to regain the men's kumite under-67kg title he won in 2014.  

Home nation Turkey will be represented by around 20 karatekas, including captain Enes Erkan, the frontrunner in the men's kumite over-84kg category.

Eliminations and repechages are scheduled for tomorrow and Friday (May 5) and will be followed by the finals and bronze medal matches on Saturday (May 6) and Sunday (May 7).

"We all wait with great expectation the celebration of these 52nd European Senior Championships 2017 in Kocaeli," Antonio Espinós, President of the World Karate Federation (WKF) and European Karate Federation (EKF), said.

"The whole European family feels encouraged to come back to Turkey to enjoy all together the top European karate annual event.

"These are our first European Senior Championships of Olympic karate and we all look forward to Kocaeli marking a big celebration of this historical success for our sport."