Geoff Capes, the most famous shot putter in British history who was twice named the World’s Strongest Man, has died at the age of 75. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest strength athletes of all time, having competed for Great Britain at three Olympic Games.
Capes won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and two more at the European Indoor Athletics Championships. He remains the British record holder in the men’s shot put, with his best throw of 21.68 metres in 1980 yet to be beaten.
He also won the World’s Strongest Man in 1983 and 1985, the World Muscle Power Classic in 1987, and several other titles including Britain’s Strongest Man and Europe’s Strongest Man.
Capes was also a world champion in the Highland Games and held world records in numerous strength events.
In a statement, the Capes family said: “The family of Geoffrey Capes would like to announce his sad passing today, 23rd October. Britain’s finest shot putter and twice World’s Strongest Man.”
Capes, who was one of nine children, took up shot putting when he was in school and went on to become one of Britain’s most famous faces in the 1970s and 1980s. He also worked as a police officer in Cambridgeshire for 10 years between 1970 and 1980.
Following his retirement, Capes went on to coach several rising stars in athletics as well as in strength events. Adrian Smith, who came fifth in the World’s Strongest Man in 1990, was among those helped by Capes.
His children, Lewis and Emma, also won national shot put titles and the family tradition continues to this day through his grandchildren, Donovan and Lawson.
Reflecting on his storied career in an interview with The Telegraph last year, Capes said: “There were stronger people out there. I met a lot of them in the fens of Lincolnshire. But it was about the application of strength. Can you apply it at speed? Can you run with 400 pounds?
“I basically did that on a farm when I was a kid with sacks of potatoes and I worked things out technically. They would call me ‘numbers’. If I went first, you’d see everyone copying. No matter what it was, I wanted to win.”
