A total of 293 judoka from 66 countries are due to compete during the three-day event at the Sport City Coliseum, where vital Olympic qualification points will be up for grabs. 

In the women’s under 48 kilograms division all eyes will be on the return to action of Argentina’s Paula Pareto, winner of a gold medal at last year’s World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The weight category's reigning Olympic champion Sarah Menezes of Brazil will be out to show that she is still a serious contender to retain the crown she won at London 2012.

The under 52kg and under 57kg categories are wide open with a number of athletes having the potential to step onto the podium, while in the under 63kg, 2013 world champion Yarden Gerbi of Israel will be looking to earn ranking points.

The under 70kg category is also set to be a competitive one, but the same cannot be said for the under 78kg class, in which world number one and current Olympic champion Kayla Harrison of the United States is the clear favourite.

Backed by the home crowd, Olympic champion Idalys Ortiz of Cuba will be among those vying for honours in the over 78kg.

Meanwhile in men’s competition, the top seeded under 66kg athlete is Loïc Korval of France, ranked 10th in the world and the under 81kg division is expected to provide some very interesting contests in the absence of the world’s best, such as Olympic champion Kim Jae-Bum of South Korea.

The under 90kg will be one of the most intriguing categories with 2013 world champion Asley Gonzalez competing on home soil and Hungary’s Krisztian Toth trying to rediscover the form which saw him become a world silver medallist two years ago in Chelyabinsk.

Azerbaijan’s Elmar Gasimov is among the favourites in the under 100kg, which also features two Germans battling for a place at Rio 2016 - Karl-Richard Frey and Dimitri Peters, ranked fifth and sixth in the world respectively - and Belgium’s Toma Nikiforov who returns to competition after an operation at the end of last season.

In the last category of the tournament, the over 100kg, several athletes have the opportunity to come away with a medal in the absence of the Olympic gold medallist and eight-time champion Teddy Riner of France, who is set to be back in action at the beginning of next month in Paris.

The official draw for the event took place today at the Melia Habana hotel and was attended by the likes of IJF President Marius Vizer and Rafael Reyes Manso, President of the Cuban Judo Federation.

"Judo is present throughout the world, on all five continents and in almost 200 countries," said Vizer, welcoming the delegation heads present. 

"Our sport is a perfect illustration of what sport can bring to the society.

"It shows unity and solidarity and it is evidence for us to come here and to support the Cuban Judo Federation.

"Judo in Cuba has a long history and I am convinced that we will have a fantastic competition."

Vizer also introduced Nadia Comăneci, the five-time Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast from Romania, and former Romanian tennis player Ion Țiriac, winner of the men's doubles title at the French Open in 1970 alongside compatriot Ilie Năstase.

Both declared their admiration for the sport before Vizer gave the floor to Manso. 

"Thank you so much to the IJF and its President, Mr. Marius Vizer for coming to our country," said the Cuban. 

"Judo has been developing so much over the past years and it is also the case in our country.

"We have received a lot of support from the IJF to organise this event and to develop judo in all sectors.

"This second edition of the Grand Prix will also help the development our sport in the whole region and throughout the world.

"We are proud to be part of that development.

"We are looking forward to seeing all of you throughout the weekend."

The action is scheduled to set tomorrow and feature the women's under 48kg, under 52kg and under 57kg categories, and the men's under 60kg and under 66kg classes.

To watch all the latest action and interviews on Judo TV, click here.