Netball: Silver Ferns star Phoenix Karaka reveals ongoing battle with long Covid

Phoenix Karaka hopes to be in the selection mix for the Silver Ferns and its 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign. Photo / Getty

Northern Mystics defender Phoenix Karaka has opened up on her battle with long Covid.

The 28-year-old Silver Fern contracted the virus in early March and told NZME she is struggling with symptoms more than six weeks later.

Karaka, who has featured in just three of the defending ANZ Premiership champions' seven games this season, was named player of the match in their most recent fixture eight days ago, a 68-44 win over the Northern Stars. However, she thinks her fitness is at only half of pre-Covid levels.

"I'm getting into the first five minutes of the game and I am heaving. And I'm normally heaving in a game that early but not struggling to breathe," Karaka said.

"I'm just not able to get what feels like enough oxygen into my lungs. I'm also asthmatic, so I have to get my pump, and normally that makes me feel better and I'm able to get air into my lungs, but the pump's not doing much.

"I feel like I'm not giving as much as I can, and mentally, I feel like when I'm playing, I know what I want to do, but my lungs just aren't helping me.

"I'm very fortunate that I've got the experience playing ANZ for a very long time. That's keeping me going. But physically — I'm always going to be hard on myself — but I feel like I'm at 50 per cent."

Even with Karaka's ongoing issue, the Mystics have the ANZ Premiership's best win-loss record, but Karaka feels their results have been better than their performances.

"The fact we do have a lot more to work on is a bonus. We don't want to be a team who's just got everything sorted at the start of the season, and then every other team figures us out towards the end of the season."

Despite her struggles with long Covid, Karaka is eyeing a spot in the Silver Ferns squad for the Commonwealth Games in July.

Coach Noeline Taurua will hold trials, rather than selecting a team from the ANZ Premiership, which Karaka thinks is the right call.

"With the trials, that gives you an opportunity to work with people you're likely to be in the Comm Games with, so you're able to work connections with those players and for the coaches to see."

Making the Commonwealth Games team could provide another complication for Karaka, whose partner, All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu, is playing for Toyota Verblitz in Japan.

Karaka has spent the past few months juggling netball with being a mum to the couple's 16-month-old daughter, Pama. She's looking forward to Tuipulotu's return home, which could be in three or six weeks — depending on how far Toyota go in the playoffs.

"So even though I really want him to win and get into the finals there, I would really love to have him home."

The issue of parenting if Karaka makes it to Birmingham has been a big discussion point for the couple, with Tuipulotu hoping to make Ian Foster's All Blacks squad.

"I guess when the opportunity to play for your country arises, you have to take that opportunity. If that happens this year, we'll make it work. I've taken Pama on tour with me earlier this year and I don't know why I wouldn't be able to do it again if the Commonwealth Games was on."