Stephen was born in Christchurch and wrestles for both the Rangiora wrestling club and Crighton Cobbers wrestling club. He played 1st 15 rugby as an 82kg front row prop forward while at St Bedes College. When training in New Zealand he lives in Kaiapoi and when in Russia Vladikavkaz North Osetia.

Steve began wrestling in 1999 at age 7 years under Kevan McLaughlan and is still coached by Kevan along with Rodney Jarman and Savily Bazirov. Stephen's father Gordon wrestled himself as a youngster as well as his younger brother. Steve has been wrestling for 21 years now and is one New Zealand senior freestyle and GReco titles in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 as well as many provincial local and South Island titles. Internationally Steve has proved to be for minimal winning a British junior freestyle championship title in 2002 and in 2010 was 20th at the world championships.

Steve's future wrestling plans include more training in Russia this year followed by representing New Zealand at the Commonwealth games and the London Olympics in 2012. When asked what wrestlers have influenced him the most he replied the entire Ossetian wrestling team from the kids through to the seniors.

Steve's favourite techniques are leg shots always applied with the right set ups he adds. Steve considers the strongest competitors he has come up against to date in the Commonwealth are the Indians and in the world the Russians.

When Steve was asked out of any former wrestlers or wrestling greats you aspire to be like, he replied no I want to achieve success with my own style of wrestling.

Steve has been reasonably injury free throughout his wrestling career apart from a major tear in his left ACL received during training in Russia that led to having to fly back to New Zealand for an operation. Wrestling being a minority sport in New Zealand especially in the senior division and heavier weights makes finding training partners more difficult for Steve.

Stephen Hill (right) during his training in Russia

While the New Zealand he enjoys training with anyone especially those around his weight division and in Russia it's a case them all being excellent training partners especially the world and Olympic champions.

Steve's entire sports focus is on wrestling and he does not train in or compete in any other sports or combat sports and for cross training he commits to a lot of hill running with lesser weight training and high levels of wrestling training for conditioning and developing his skills.

Stephen Hill during wrestling competition at Crichton Cobbers

In relation to special diets and foods Steve has Rodney Jarman to thank for his metabolic typing diet that provided an amazing lifestyle change.

When asked who is your greatest fan and what are your greatest physical attributes Steve replied respectively my family and speed power and determination.

Steve enjoys the odd meat pie but not your normal meat pie; he's a big fan of Ossetian pies. Personal likes and dislikes in music for Steve include as he puts it good music and a range of everything. He tells us he has at pet cat that is ginger and eats heaps, just like him. One of Steve's favourite past times is travelling that goes hand-in-hand with wrestling for him. He would like to go to South America and the Antarctica to have visited all seven continents.

Steve drives a Mitsubishi Gallant that has run out of registration and its warrant of fitness because he is never here to drive it. Given the choice of calf he would like a 1979 Mitsubishi Gallant GTO.

Steve's best friends both in New Zealand and Russia are either current or former wrestlers.

Kevan McLaughlan taught Steve well in relation to pre-match preparation and the importance of a full body warm-up and not just swinging your arms around, he performs this as he puts it great warm up every time before he goes on the mat.

Steve enjoys both city life and the great outdoors explaining they both have good and bad points and it's nice to have a good mix.

When asked what hobbies do you have he said planning my next triple way and in relation to following other sports football especially Liverpool FC but also he enjoys watching all other sports.

Steve works for Christchurch Cool Stores and has for the past 10 years.

When asked what you consider your greatest strengths and weaknesses he replied my greatest strength would be my determination and weaknesses couldn't say. Steve is six-foot and weighs 84kgs and describes himself as an early morning person.

Steve's favourite wrestling website is www.fila-wrestling.com and his favourite brand of wrestling boot is Adidas. He enjoys watching wrestling on FILA web TV or YouTube.

Steve's favourite television programs are Man vs Wild, flash forward and the colony and his favourite movies are snatch, the Godfather and find me guilty. His favourite movie stars include Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Vin diesel and Jason Statham.

His ultimate goal in wrestling is the Commonwealth and Olympic games.