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Cute baby of returning Silver Fern steals the show on Breakfast as doting mum says she has 'so much more fire' in her belly

February 9, 2018

Ocean's mum Ameliaranne Ekenasio was announced yesterday as part of the Commonwealth Games team.

Ameliaranne Ekenasio says she has more "fire in my belly" after giving birth to her son which she believes has made her work harder ahead of the Commonwealth Games. 

Ekenasio, who last played for New Zealand in 2016 before going on maternity leave, was announced in the squad yesterday, alongside Michaela Sokolich-Beatson as goal defense.

Elsewhere, the 12-strong squad remains unchanged from that which relinquished the Quad Series in abysmal fashion last month, with Whitney Souness, Maia Wilson, Jane Watson and and Phoenix Karaka going unselected.

Watch FULL LIVE COVERAGE of the 21st Commonwealth Games free-to-air on TVNZ from April 4, 2018.

Since netball first made its appearance in the Commonwealth Games in 1998, the Silver Ferns have reached every gold medal match. Twice they have taken gold and three times they have claimed silver at the hands of Australia.

Speaking about the squad selection, Ekenasio told TVNZ 1's Breakfast she was feeling a whole range of different emotions following the announcement.

"Feeling just over the moon. Kind of feels a bit of a dream, feels really really surreal, I just can't believe it," Ekenasio said. 

"It definitely won't be a breeze but I think I am able to take so much more in my stride now."

She explained how her son, Ocean, has taught her how much she can fit into a day.

"I think it will actually work really well because it's just made me work so much harder and just put so much more fire in my belly."

Captain Katrina Grant joined Ekenasio in the studio and stated the team has been asked a variety of questions following their unsuccessful quad series. 

"We have been asked a lot of questions as in 'can you even make the final?' 'do you really think you can win gold?' and there's no way we would even be thinking of going over there if we didn't think we could win gold. It's 100 per cent our aim our goal and that's all we want," a determined Grant said. 

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