Geoffrey Capes, the two-time world’s strongest man and British shot-putter, has died at the age of 75.
Capes was twice the Commonwealth Games champion in the shot put and claimed two European indoor titles.
He was also crowned world’s strongest man in 1983 and 1985.
A family statement 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.’
Geoffrey Capes, the two-time world’s strongest man and British shot-putter, has died at the age of 75
Geoffrey Capes, a two-time Commonwealth Games shot put champion, has died aged 75
Geoff Capes and topless models Leilani (L) and Holly (R) launch his Save Our Takeaways campaign
Capes was also crowned as the world’s strongest man on two occasions in 1983 and 1985
He represented Britain at three Olympics and Commonwealth Games during his career
During his athletics career, Capes was crowned as UK shot put champion on three occasions
During his athletics career, Capes was crowned as UK shot put champion on three occasions.
He claimed gold at the 1984 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, achieving a event record throw of 20.74 metres.
Capes defended the title four years later in Edmonton, Canada.
Further success was achieved at continental level, winning gold at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg and Munich in 1984 and 1986, respectively.
He also claimed bronze in the European Championships in 1984 in Rome.
Capes represented Britain at three Olympic Games, finishing sixth at Montreal 1976 and fifth at Moscow 1980.
He achieved his personal best throw of 21.68m in 1980, which stood as a British record until 2003.
Capes became a professional strongman following the Olympics in Moscow, enjoying success at the Highland Games.
Shot Putt Athlete Geoff Capes At Cadbury’s Mini Champions Competiton With Mini Athletes Ross Woodbridge (left) And Claire Wager (right)
Linda Lusardi who stars in the pantomime ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ at the Theatre Royal Newcastle, poses with Geoff Capes who plays Odd Job, 17th December 1991
Geoff Capes lifting a car
The Royal family share a joke with Geoff Capes as they attend the Braemar Highland Games in Scotland. Left to right are: The Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana, Prince Charles and Geoff Capes. 4th September 1982
Sophie Mckinna and Coach Geoff Capes
Policeman Geoff Capes (right), Commonwealth shot putt champion, and Al Feuerbach, American holder of the world record at Crystal Palace, London
Geoff Capes throws during the Shot Putt competition at the A.A.A. National Championships on 5th September 1980 at Crystal Palace
As well as winning the World’s Strongest Man title twice, Capes finished in the top three of the event a further four occasions.
He remained involved in athletics by becoming a coach of several national level shot putters.
He was sent home in disgrace from the European Championships in Prague in 1978 after punching a referee and two guards touting machine guns when they complained he wasn’t wearing the right competition number.
‘When I’m getting ready for a competition, you don’t talk to me – end of story,’ he explained afterwards.
Following his retirement from competition Capes took up coaching and helped many aspiring athletes, as well as appearing on two reality television shows.
Outside of sport, Capes became known for being one of Britain’s most established breeders of Budgerigars.
lt all started in 1969, when Capes was a policeman in Peterborough and went to arrest a man for non-payment of a fine.
‘I knocked on his front door and he didn’t answer, so I looked through the window and the front room was full of the most beautiful birds – I’d always loved birds. When he eventually opened the door, I asked if I could come in and have a look.
‘So we sat down and had a cup of tea and had a lovely chat about budgerigars. I did eventually remember to arrest him,’ he adds. ‘But he was very good about it and started me off with my first three pairs of budgerigars. I’ve never looked back.’
He became president of the British Budgerigar Society in 2008.
