Hill was the first athlete to compete on the world stage in a string vest, before going on to earn a PhD in textile chemistry. He says: “I was looking for a way to get more air passing over the body, which evaporates sweat and cools the body – it didn’t won’t work if the body is covered by a full, cotton vest. It was in 1968 that I had the thought to wear a string vest, as it’s full of holes! I went to my local Army and Navy store in Stockport, bought the vest and it worked. The first time I wore the string vest was in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, and there was a gasp from the crowd when I stepped out wearing a string vest, no shoes and bikini shorts.”
