Italy's world number one Alessio Foconi will be among the competitors at the FIE Men's Foil World Cup ©Getty Images

Some of the world's leading fencers have gathered in Tokyo for the International Fencing Federation Men's Foil World Cup, which will double as a test event for next summer's Tokyo Olympic Games.

Action starts tomorrow at the Makuhari Messe, venue for the Olympic competition next year from July 25 to August 2, and 208 fencers are set to compete. 

Italy will be strongly fancied to dominate given the presence of their world number one and four, respectively the 2018 world champion Alessio Foconi and Rio 2016 champion Daniele Garozzo.

Race Imboden, the world number two and Rio 2016 bronze medallist from the United States, is among a stellar field for the FIE Men's Foil World Cup ©Getty Images
Race Imboden, the world number two and Rio 2016 bronze medallist from the United States, is among a stellar field for the FIE Men's Foil World Cup ©Getty Images

But they will be strongly challenged by the United States, for whom world number two Race Imboden, the Rio 2016 bronze medallist, world number three Gerek Meinhardt, and world number seven Alexander Massialas are selected.

Among the French representatives will be world number five Enzo Lefort and his colleague Erwann Le Pechoux, ranked nine.

Russia include three fencers from the top 20, including 14th-ranked Alexey Cheremisinov and 15th-ranked Timur Safin.

Hong Kong's sixth-ranked Ka Long Cheung is also on the start list.

Japan has entered a tranche of 30 fencers, with the top-ranked being Takahiro Shikine, who is 20th.