From ELIAS CHIPEPO
In Glasgow-
THE Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games start today with Zambian athletes aiming to better the poor record of the last two editions that saw the country fail to mint any medal.
Zambia holds a record of having won 29 medals since making a debut appearance in 1954, then competing as Northern Rhodesia, and the first medal came courtesy of Ian Epton.
Thus pressure is on the athletes to put up a good performance and ensure they go back to Zambia with medals as directed by Republican Vice President Guy Scott and not apologies.
But the athletes and coaches are confident that they will be up to the task of raising Zambia’s current medal count from which three is gold, eight silver and 18 bronze to stand on 27th overall behind leaders Australia, who lead on 2, 080.
Zambia has failed to mint medals in the past outings in Melbourne and Delhi Games and every Zambian now expects a change of fortune for the 43 athletes representing the country.
The last medals were won by Kennedy Kanyanta, now boxing coach, during the Manchester Games along with fellow boxers Dennis Zimba and Davies Mwale who got silver and bronze respectively.
The country’s last success was at the 2002 Manchester games when boxers Kennedy Kanyanta, Dennis Zimba and Davies Mwale won gold, silver and bronze medals respectively while the late Lottie Mwale won gold during the 1974 Christchurch games.
Zambia will be represented in eight disciplines and these are boxing, swimming, athletics, judo, bowling, squash, table tennis and badminton.
Traditionally, Zambia has usually banked on boxers for medals but swimming coach Ellen Hight is optimistic that her swimmers will splash out medals from the pool.
Hight, a bronze winner at the All Africa Games held in Algeria in 2007, will be hoping her team that comprises Alexandros Axiotis, Mathew Shone, Milimo Mweetwa, Tilka Pajjk, Ralph Assafro and Jade Howard put in their best and do the country proud.
Kanyanta has set a bar high for his boxers who are promised to deliver medals for Zambia with welterweight boxer Mbachi Kaonga setting his sight on winning a gold medal.
“My aim is to win a gold medal and join other great Zambian boxers that have won it before,” said Kaonga, who won gold during the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa (SCSA) Zone Six Youth Games.
Table Tennis coach Boyd Kabinda has backed his players to do well in the competition especially that powerhouse China is not competing but that he was expecting a tough challenge from Singapore.
Abigail Chindele, who is the only female judoka taking part, has promised to go back home with a medal saying she has prepared adequately for the challenge that lies ahead of her.
Badminton player Chongo Mulenga, who has travelled far and wide in his quest to secure qualification, is upbeat of winning a medal despite expecting tough competition.
His comments were echoed by Ngosa Chongo who assured the Vice President that the athletes would prove that they are worthy being in Glasgow for the games.
Meanwhile, Celtic Park will host the largest, most prestigious live show Glasgow and Scotland have ever seen. It will be the start of an epic journey for the city of Glasgow and herald in the sporting festivities that will take place from the July 23 to August 4.
On the night the 40,000 spectators inside the stadium of the Scottish Premiership champions will be treated to a stunning night of entertainment from Scottish icon Rod Stewart, former Britain’s Got Talent finalist Susan Boyle and Amy McDonald to name but a few.