Netball Nations Cup: Ameliaranne Ekenasio 'proud to fly flag' for mums in sport

Ameliaranne Ekenasio helped New Zealand beat Australia to win the 2019 Netball World Cup

New Zealand netball captain Ameliaranne Ekenasio says she is "proud to fly the flag" for mothers in sport.

World Cup winner Ekenasio, 29, replaces Laura Langman as skipper for the inaugural Netball Nations Cup, which starts on Sunday.

She shares a two-year-old son, Ocean, with basketball player husband Damien.

"I do feel I am flying the flag, but I also feel lucky that I can be a mum and play," Ekenasio told BBC Sport.

"We all know playing women's sport, it is really hard to have a family, with so many girls waiting until the end of their career and that's a shame.

"By being a mum and coming back to netball I feel like I have achieved so much more."

Ekenasio's international team-mate Casey Kopua, 34, also has a child but the defender retired after the Netball World Cup, revealing she was pregnant with her second baby during the tournament in Liverpool last summer.

Ekenasio follows a number of high-profile athletes returning to sport after giving birth, including Britain's former Olympic and world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill.

"I'm proud to be a mum and a netballer but it's been a tough road and I'm always learning about how the two marry together," said the Central Pulse goal attack, who took the 2017 season off to have her son before returning for the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

"Having my son has helped shape the player and person I am today.

"Stepping into the role of captain has happened because of who I am, it will be business as usual for me with a few extra things on top but I will stay true to myself."

New Zealand head coach Noeline Taurua, 51, said: "The players respect and trust Ameliaranne.

"She has genuine care for people and is also a consistent performer on the court.

"She's an elite athlete and one of the best goal attacks in the world."

Ekenasio's first game as captain, a role she was voted into by her team-mates, will be against hosts England in Nottingham, a replay of the World Cup semi-final which the Silver Ferns won 47-45.

"It's exciting for us to be back in England no matter what, but we're ready to go out there and we're here to win."

Ekenasio, who made her international debut in 2014 and has 37 caps, played in the World Cup final with shooting partner Maria Folau, who announced her retirement in December after 150 international appearances, a player she "idolised" as a child.

"It was rocky playing with Maria at the start as we were quite similar, but we learned quickly," added Ekenasio, who shot at 92% accuracy in the final, which New Zealand won 52-51.

"The amount of experience that she brought was unbelievable for me.

"When I got to play with her I was excited, a little nervous, like a little kid so winning the World Cup with her was amazing.

"Losing her is big for the sport, she's a legend of the game but it's business as usual now and we're just excited to get going."