Sport
Darts star Kyle Anderson reveals Coronavirus agony
Kyle Anderson admits it’s been agonising to be isolated from his wife and young son after being struck down with coronavirus. The World No.45 flew back to his native Perth, Australia from the UK to be with his family as the pandemic struck Europe.
But dad-of-one Anderson, 32, tested positive when he arrived back Down Under and has had to spend three weeks in isolation despite being clear of any symptoms of the virus.
Speaking excluively to Phil Lanning for Colossus, Kyle Anderson revealed: “I was at a pub practising in the UK with my mate who is also on the tour. We were watching the news and hearing about the virus. He said ‘I’m going home. You coming?’ And that was it.”
“I got home and had a cough and my wife said to me ‘Let’s get you checked.’ On Sunday, March 29 about 8.30am I got a phone call from public health to say it was positive for the Coronavirus.”
“I got a cough but I thought it was a normal air-con cough and a blocked nose which I thought would go in a couple of days. It’s frightening, the uncertainty, I don’t know the stages I don’t know what happens next.”
“It was heartbreaking to then have to leave my wife and son. It’s hard enough when I’m away for a long time in Europe. What’s worse now, I’m 30 minutes away not 30 hours. I can physically see them but lawfully I’m not allowed.”
The situation has been extremely difficult for the former Auckland Masters champion, especially as he still has Covid-19 three weeks after the initial diagnosis.
Kyle Anderson added: “I feel fine, I feel normal but swabs show the Coronavirus is living rent free on me. It’s not necessarily a nightmare situation, it’s life. Things happen in life that make you or break you. Let’s hope this doesn’t break me.”
Anderson was practising in Chesterfield when he saw news of the Coronavirus pandemic sweeping into Europe. He then decided to jet home to be with his wife Tara and young son Charlie.
He’s now living in a ‘donga’ (portakabin) at his in-laws until he gets the all-clear from the deadly virus. He needs two negative results before he can go back to his family.
He added: “I’ve not even got a dartboard here. I’m missing throwing, even just the walk by throw where you throw one set then sit down just love the game. Instead I’m just watching playing on my Xbox and watching Netflix, not much else is permitted.”
“It’s hard not having contact with anybody. I’ve been alone before but this is a different alone.”
Anderson, who hit a World Championship nine-darter in 2013, admits he’s not tuned into the PDC Home Tour because of the time difference and is only focused on being with his family.
He added: “I haven’t watched, I’ve seen snippets but the time difference has been difficult. I’m nine hours ahead, it starts late so I’m asleep until 8/9am here. I always want to compete but right now this has given me time at home which I wouldn’t have normally had.”
“At this time right now I’m home, where I want to be. It might sound a bit frontal but I’ve missed this life a lot, not the containment but the missing of family.”
Anderson has been using FaceTime to stay in touch with his wife and son but also Zoom chats with his management and fellow pro Dimitri van den Bergh.
He said: “The one you were talking about is when they woke me, I was at the start of the virus, so I was coughing and what not after every laugh? It was horrible but brilliant at the same time!”
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