JILL CLEAVE

Last updated11:43, February 23 2017

Jill Cleave/FairfaxNZ

Wrestler Sarah Hills and daughter Bianca, 9.

There are no "flying mares"off the top rope or "step-over-toe holds" when a Paeroa mother of three takes to the wrestling mat, never the less, it is still exciting to watch.

Sarah Hills, 29, who has only been wrestling for 12 months, will be representing New Zealand at the Oceania Wrestling Championships in Tahiti in March.

She said the family was looking for a sport for their three daughters and felt the martial arts or boxing were a little frightening as it involved being hit.

"We settled on wrestling, which relies on strength and technique, and it has turned out to be a great confidence booster, especially for girls, without the fear of being hit," she said.

She said she decided to join in the fun to get a little fitter and lose a bit of weight and realised she was quite good at it.

"In February 2016 I entered the Waikato Bay of Plenty Championships and came away with a bronze medal, then I entered the North Island champs and came away with gold which was pretty exciting," she said.

In September 2016 she entered her first big tournament, the New Zealand Championships, and won her weight category Women's Freestyle 63kg.

"Five days after winning there I crippled over in pain and was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery to have my gall bladder removed. Two and a half weeks and two surgerys later I was ordered to take three months off," she said.

The family, Sarah, husband Mathew and daughters Bianca, 9, Calista, 7, and Demelza, 6, moved to Paeroa in December to give their daughter who has autism a better education.

"The New Zealand team was announced shortly after we had moved so with only 12 weeks to train I got right into it and am feeling stronger and more confident than I was in September," she said.

Training is going well and you can follow Hill'sprogress on facebook.com/NZwrestling.

She said between working,studying, training, twice a week in Katikati, and spending quality time with her children it leaves little time for fundraising for the trip.

"Wrestling is not a big sport in New Zealand and we have to pay for everything, including uniforms, ourselves so I have set up a page at Give a Little to try help cover costs," she said.

Once the Oceania competition is over the HIlls hope to start a wrestling class for children in Paeroa where everyone will be welcome.

If you would like to help Sarah out with a donation go to givealittle.co.nz/cause.sarah-wrestling.

-Stuff

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Paeroa wrestler to represent New Zealand at Oceania Wrestling ... - Waikato Times