Around 600 athletes from 57 countries are set to compete in the Asli Cakir Alptekin Sports Hall tomorrow and Sunday (September 7) in an event being held in the Turkish city for the fourth time.

It is being held less than two months before the World Championships in the German city of Bremen, and will act as a rehearsal for the 50th European Senior Karate Championship, which will be staged in Istanbul in March.

Many of the world's top karatekas will take to the tatami this weekend, including Turk Enes Erkan, Amir Mehdizadeh of Iran, Kayo Someya of Japan and Italian Luigi Busa.

Action beings tomorrow at 9am Eastern European Time, with medals being won in the men's and women's kumite from 6pm in the lower weight divisions.

Sunday's action begins at 10am and will end with the team kata finals at 3.30pm.

Japan came out on top in the World Karate Federation Premier League event held on their doorstep in Okinawa last weekend.