World stage for wrestling brothers

A pair of Waihi brothers will be taking on challengers from around the world this weekend when they compete in the Down Under Wrestling Meet.

Jacob Harrison, 17, and his younger brother Sam, 15, have been picked to represent New Zealand in their respective weight classes and are looking forward to testing themselves against some tough competition.


Waihi brothers Sam and Jacob Harrison will represent New Zealand at the Down Under wrestling tournament in Auckland this weekend. Photo: Cameron Massey.

The brothers, who have been wrestling for about fours years, have been training hard leading up to this event which will be the third time the biggest international wrestling competition in the Oceania region has been held in New Zealand.

"All we've done for the last few months is get up early in the morning, do extra trainings, just doing fitness more than strength, because we're already pretty strong we just need to go for longer to endure all the fights," says Jacob.

Jacob, who will be competing in the under 58kg division, says as well as technique and outright strength, mental toughness plays a big part.

"You can be as prepared as you want with your technique but if you hesitate you can get owned.

"It's easy to zone out, that's it, game over."

Owing to being under weight, this is the first time Sam has been able to represent New Zealand at the Down Under tournament. He'll be fighting in the under 46kg division.

"I've been selected for like the last year or two, but I've just been too small," Sam said.

"[I've been] making sure I got all my technical skills and gaining weight,

"If I do have to go up a weight category, I normally use quite a bit of technique to make sure I don't get under them or they'll squish me."

The lads admitted the sport was an unusual choice, but have found it to be extremely rewarding.

"I like the fitness part, but it is really fun," says Sam.

"You make lots of good friends, most people I wrestle become really good friends."

As well as being able to keep fit and healthy, Jacob enjoys the competitive side of the sport.

"The close matches are my favourite when it's neck and neck and someone does something, or even if I'm losing and I pin them, just anything that gets that little bit exciting," he says .

"That little rush is awesome."

The 17th Annual Down Under Wrestling Meet will see 200 wrestlers aged between 15 and 20 from New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa and the United States compete at the Vector Arena in Auckland.

Having competed in a tournament in the United States earlier this year, Sam knows what they will be in for this weekend.

"The main people to look out for are the Americans; they'll do anything to win," says Sam.

"It'll be a tough tournament."

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