By ELIAS CHIPEPO –

In Glasgow, Scotland
ZAMBIAN athletes today begin their medal hunt with female judoka Abigail Chindele only a fight away from giving the country the first medal as the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games events starts.
After witnessing a wonderful and colourful opening ceremony last night at the Celtic Park, home of Scottish champions Celtic, the 19-year-old Chindele takes Chloe Rayner of Australia for a place in the semi-finals where she is assured of a medal.
But the case is different for male judoka like Mathews Punza, who was Zambia’s flag barrier as the 43 athletes made their entrance into the Celtic Park along, as he and two of his colleagues need to start from the round of 32.
Punza is up against Rexly Theuil of Vanuatu in the 66kg event with Boas Munyonga facing Josateki Naulu of Fiji in the 81kg category as William Kalunga fights Neysso Sigauque Mozambique in 60kg.
In squash, Zambia’s female queen Sharon Chimfwembe plays Dorothy Boyce of Papau New Guinea with Namweene Muchaile squaring it out with Nicolette Fernandez of Guyana in the women singles round of 64.
Kelvin ‘Kelvinator’ Ndhlovu faces Beng Hee Ong of Malaysia in the men’s singles while Mwiinga Lengwe plays Steve Finitinisis of Australia as Manda Chilambwe is up against Englishman Peter Barker.
Zambia begins medal pursuit in table tennis with team events that will see veteran Friday Ng’andu, Noel Kasanda and Simasiku Kalaluka facing Malaysia today before taking on Australia tomorrow.
Swimmers that include Mathew Shone, Tilka Pajik, Milimo Mweetwa, Jade Howard, Ralph Goviea and Alexandros Axiotis are all in action today
Coach Ellen Hight will be hoping for an improved performance from her swimmers who will take part in various individual and team events that runs from today till Sunday.
The bowling team at the Commonwealth Games equally start their campaign today with the men’s team facing Jersey in the triples event while the women team plays Wales in the Fours.
Chongo Mulenga and Ngosa Chongo have been handed slightly tough draws in badminton as the two hope to go a step further than the quarterfinals reached by Juma Muwuwo, now coach, at the Deli commonwealth Games in 2010.
Ngosa and Mulenga have been paired against Sarim Mohammed and Zaki Hussein respectively in the men’s doubles round of 64 and will play the pair of Robert Blair and Paul Rietvelde of Scotland.
In the singles events, Ngosa starts his campaign against Daniel Penney of Guernsey in the round of 64 while Mulenga will be up against third seed Rajiv Ouseph of England.
Meanwhile, Vice President Guy Scott and Sports Permanent Secretary Agnes Musunga were among the 40, 000 VIP’s and spectators who attended the opening ceremony at the Celtic Park.
Others Zambian dignitaries who attended the ceremony officially opened by Queen Elizabeth of Britain, were Sports Council of Zambia (SCZ) vice-chairperson, Emmanuel Katebe, director of sports Bessy Chelemu, First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Mission in the United Kingdom Amos Chanda and some other senior government staff.
About 4,700 athletes from the 71 Commonwealth countries taking part in the 17 sporting disciplines paraded inside the stadium as 2,000 cast members performed a variety of exhibition.