Geoff Capes, Britain’s greatest shot putter and two-time World’s Strongest Man, dies aged 75

Geoff Capes, a former shot putter who represented Great Britain in three Olympic Games, passed away at the age of 75. He was a two-time Commonwealth champion and also claimed victory in the World’s Strongest Man competition twice.

The family of Geoffrey Capes has released a statement declaring the unfortunate news of his death today, October 23rd. He was renowned as one of Britain’s top shot-putters and a two-time winner of the title of the world's strongest man.

Capes reached the pinnacle of his athletic career in the 1970s, representing Great Britain for over a decade and earning more athletics caps than any other athlete in the nation's history. After retiring from track and field, he became a well-known figure by appearing on the immensely popular Superstars TV show, which drew in 10 million viewers at its peak. He further solidified his fame by clinching the coveted World’s Strongest Man title in both 1983 and 1985.

Capes won the UK shot put championship three times. He took home the gold medal at the 1984 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, where he achieved a record throw of 20.74 meters. He successfully defended his title four years later in Edmonton, Canada.

He went on to claim gold medals at the European Indoor Championships held in Gothenburg and Munich in 1984 and 1986. Additionally, he earned a bronze medal at the European Championships in Rome in 1984.

Capes competed for Great Britain in three Olympic Games, finishing sixth in Montreal in 1976 and fifth in Moscow in 1980. In 1980, he set his personal best throw of 21.68 meters, a record that still holds as the British standard.

British Olympic medalist Katharine Merry shared on X that she was "deeply saddened" by the news of Geoff Capes' passing and honored him as "a true household name."

British Athletics expressed their sorrow over the passing of former shot putter Geoff Capes, stating, "We are deeply saddened to learn of his death. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time."

Guinness World Records shared on X: "Back in 1978, Geoff managed to throw a regular 2.27 kg (5 lb) construction brick a distance of 44.54 m (146 ft 1 in) at Braybrook School in Cambridgeshire, UK. His achievement still stands as unbroken."

The powerhouse didn't just rely on his physical strength; he also had an unexpected talent as a breeder of budgerigars. In a 2003 interview with The Guardian, he shared his enthusiasm for caring for these birds.

"It all started back in 1969," he recalled. "At the time, I was a police officer tasked with delivering a warrant for a fine that hadn’t been paid. When I knocked on the door of the person in question, I noticed a bunch of cages in the living room, filled with birds displaying a stunning variety of colors. I found it fascinating."

I stepped inside and shared a cup of tea with the owner, chatting with him for an hour about his passion. It felt unfortunate that at the conclusion of our conversation, I had to inform him that I was placing him under arrest.

"After I took him to the police station and arranged for his bail, he returned with a present for me: three pairs of budgerigars. I then made sure to gather everything necessary – a shed, breeding cages, and an aviary – and I’ve been raising the birds ever since."

Capes entered the world in 1949 in Lincolnshire, arriving as the seventh of nine siblings. He was the youngest child of Eileen Capes and the first of her three children with her third spouse, Bill Capes.

After finishing school, he played basketball, football, and ran cross country for his county. He also took on jobs as a coalman and a farm worker. Eventually, he decided to follow the example set by his grandfather, uncle, and older brothers by becoming a police officer. He spent a decade in that role before going on to represent his country at the Moscow Olympics.