James Hill (rower)

James Roy Hill (20 November 1930 – 8 May 2020), also known as Jim Hill, was a New Zealand rower from Hamilton.[2] A joiner by trade, he became a funeral director after his sporting career.

James Hill
Personal information
Birth nameJames Roy Hill
Born(1930-11-20)20 November 1930
Hamilton, New Zealand
Died8 May 2020(2020-05-08) (aged 89)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Height187 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight83 kg (183 lb)[1]
Sport
SportRowing
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing  New Zealand
British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1962 PerthSingle sculls
1958 CardiffSingle sculls
1958 CardiffDouble sculls

Early life

Hill was born in Hamilton, New Zealand, in 1930.[1] After leaving school he started out as a joiner for his father Roy, before becoming a French polisher for a funeral directors, Hill would later drive the hearse. He became self employed in 1965 as James R Hill Funeral Directors.[3]

Hill married Doreen in 1950; they were to have two children.[3]

Rowing career

Hill took up rowing in 1947 at the Hamilton Rowing Club; his father had been captain and president for the club. James Hill was awarded life membership to the club in 2002.[3]

Hill initial rowed in a four, but later concentrated on singles and doubles. He succeeded the five-time national singles champion Don Rowlands and from 1958 to 1963, he won the national singles titles six years back-to-back.[3]

Hill was the only New Zealand representative at the inaugural World Rowing Championships held in September 1962. He was one of the six single scull finalists, but came last in the A final.[3] At the November 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games he won the gold medal in the men's single sculls. Four years prior at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games he won the silver medal in the single sculls and also won the bronze medal as part of the double sculls.[3]

At the 1956 Summer Olympics, Hill made the semi-finals of the single sculls. Competing at the 1960 Summer Olympics he placed fourth in the men's single sculls.[4]

Later life and death

Hill's friend Rowland was chairman of the organising committee for the 1978 World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro, with the whole event provided through volunteer labour. Rowland, a marine engineer by training, designed the starting pontoons and Hill built them. Hill also built the towers for the judges.[3]

Hill retired from his funeral business in 1989. He suffered a stroke in 2010 and then went to live at Eventhorpe Care Home in Hamilton East where he was later joined by his wife. He died on 8 May 2020 at the rest home, after having celebrated their 70 years of marriage earlier in the year.[5] The funeral, conducted by the company that he had founded and that still carries its original name, was held during COVID-19 alert level 3 conditions and only ten guests were permitted.[3]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "James Hill". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  2. "James Hill". OlyMADMen. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  3. Goile, Aaron (17 May 2020). "Ironic send-off for former Hamilton undertaker Jim Hill". Stuff. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  4. "James Hill". New Zealand Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  5. "James Roy Hill". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
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