Strongman muscles up
New Zealand’s new world champion strongman dedicated his win to his own strong man - his late dad.
Jayden Hill won the Strongman Champions League Under 105kg class at the World Championships held in Kokkola, Finland, recently but said his father Laurence ‘‘Laurie’’ Hill was ‘‘the strongest man I’ve ever known’’.
Laurence suffered from the rare Pompe Disease, which is caused by an enzyme deficiency that causes muscle damage, after a near-fatal tractor crash while farming in the Waikato in 1990.
He was a former deputy principal at Marfell School and died in New Plymouth on December 30 last year, aged 54.
His son has now become the first New Zealander to win across any weight class in the Strongman Champions League, and the first middleweight to compete in the competition.
Hill said he had wanted to get involved in the strongman competitions from an early age.
‘‘I dreamed of being the World’s Strongest since I watched the comps on TV when I was eight,’’ he said.
‘‘But it still hasn’t completely sunk in.
‘‘You work your a... off to obviously become the champion, but going up against the strongest men in the world it’s always tough and unknown.’’
He said he had a lot to prove after competing in Norway two years ago after tearing four discs in his back - although he still managed to place 17th.
For winning the contest this time Hill was awarded a trophy, broad sword and a champions watch but won’t be quitting his day job any time soon.
‘‘Only the top heavy weights are making any real money off it. Sponsorships are key but they’re pretty hard to come by. And due to the obscurity of the sport funding is almost impossible.’’
Hill left Taranaki to study ecology and marine biology and later philosophy. He moved to Ethiopia to study wild Hamadryas baboons and was working as a lecturer in anatomy and physiology before moving to Victoria in Australia two-and-a-half years ago to prepare for the strongman competition.
To celebrate becoming a world champion he had headed off to climb some mountains in Norway and also took time out to work on some weaknesses and also put on some weight.
‘‘I have a heap of work to do,’’ he said.
‘‘I made a lot of mistakes in the comp and have weaknesses to build up. But overall this is just the start, I need to earn/deserve the title.’’