By SANDRA MWILA –

THE Zambia Amateur Swimming Union (ZASU) has named a provisional eight-member team for the forthcoming Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games scheduled for July.
Top Zambian swimmers Tilka Paljik, Ralpha Govea and Alex Axtolis, who are already guaranteed places in the team for the ‘Club’ Games to be held from July 23 to August 4 in Scotland, also make the squad.
Other members of the provisional team include Jade Howard, who is training in the United States of America and the South Africa-based duo of Nakawele Sakala and Jesmnie Chungu, Lechwe School’s Matthew Shane and Milimo Mweetwa of Simba Seals.
ZASU president David Thompson said in an interview that the swimmers had already kicked off their preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
“The athletes are doing well at their respective training camps and we are getting regular updates from their coaches and we are confident that they will do us proud,” he said.
Thompson said the list had already been submitted to the National Olympic Committee (NOC) but that the likes of Paljik, Govea and Axtolis were assured of slots in the Zambian team.
He said the final number of the contingent would be dependent on how many places NOC would allocate to ZASU.
And the American International School (AIS) of Lusaka will host the national age gala competition on March 28 and 29 to mark the end of the 2013 swimming season.
Thompson said after the tournament, there would be an awards gala where various deserving swimmers would be recognised.