Sofia is preparing to host the World Taekwondo Cadet and Junior World Championships ©WT

Sofia is set to welcome more than 1,000 of the world’s best young taekwondo athletes as it prepares to host the 2022 World Taekwondo Cadet and World Taekwondo Junior Championships from July 28 to 31 and August 2 to 7 respectively.

The Sofia 2022 World Taekwondo Cadet Championships has seen 683 athletes aged between 12 and 14 years old from 77 countries register.

It will be the fifth edition of the event after the previous edition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile 811 athletes aged between 14 and 17 from 90 countries, plus a refugee team, have registered for the Sofia 2022 World Taekwondo Junior Championships, which is taking place for the first time since 2018.

Both events will take place at the Bulgarian capital’s Arena Armeec and use the newly introduced best-of-three system with three two minute rounds.

More than 1,000 athletes will converge in Sofia for the 2022 World Taekwondo Cadet and World Taekwondo Junior Championships, with action starting tomorrow ©WT
More than 1,000 athletes will converge in Sofia for the 2022 World Taekwondo Cadet and World Taekwondo Junior Championships, with action starting tomorrow ©WT

On the last day of competitions there will be presentations for MVP and best of the event for referee, coach and athlete.

World Taekwondo President Chungwon Choue said: "The importance of the Cadet and Junior World Championships cannot be understated.

"At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, 17 of the 32 Taekwondo medallists had medalled at either the World Taekwondo Cadet or Junior Championships or at the Youth Olympic Games.

"This shows that these Championships provide invaluable experience and are often the starting block for the future stars of our sport.

"Most significantly, the World Taekwondo Cadet Championships is an ideal platform for athletes from all walks of life to exchange cultures and become friends.

"This is the spirit of Taekwondo that eventually contributes to a world where peace is more precious than triumph."

The World Taekwondo General Assembly will take place on the occasion of the World Championships on August 1 with the World Taekwondo Council meeting taking place that morning.

It will be the first time that the World Taekwondo General Assembly has taken place in person since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It will also be the first time that the World Taekwondo Hall of Fame award ceremony will be held and the first inductees will be revealed.