A total of 350 men and women karatekas from across Jharkhand will fight it out for podium finishes at the state Goju Ryu Karate Championship that begins at the JRD Tata Sports Complex here on Saturday .

The Jharkhand Goju Ryu Karate Do Association is organising the two-day event.

Medal winners will be selected for the state squad for the national meet to be held in Andhra Pradesh next month.

“Preparations for the efficient conduct of the championship is complete. We are expecting some solid performances from the participating karatekas,” said state association secretary L. Nageshwar Rao .

Rao, a black belt holder who has been a mentor of the national outfit, said there was no dearth of talented karatekas in Jharkhand and the event here would generate more interest in the martial art. The championship will be inaugurated jointly by Tata Steel vice-president (corporate services) Chanakya Chaudhary and Dalbhum sub-divisional officer Chandan Kumar in the presence of social worker Meera Munda and Tata Workers Union president R. Ravi Prasad.

Rajesh Agarwal, ojoint secretary of Karate Association of India, will be the chief referee of the championship.

The state association organised a seminar for the referees on Friday evening. Around 40 referees learnt about the new laws governing the sport.

“It will be a learning experience for the referees of Jharkhand,” Rao said.