World’s Strongest Man Geoff Capes lifeless at 75 as tributes paid to UK’s most interesting shot putter

A legendary strongman who twice took the crown for world’s strongest man has died at the age of 75.

Geoff Capes was considered Britain’s finest shot-putter during his career. His first strongman win came in the World’s Strongest Man event in 1983 in Christchurch, with the second two years later in Cascais. His family have shared a statement on his tragic death: “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 was born in Lincolnshire in 1949 and was the seventh of nine children. Coming from an impoverished background, he went on to become one of the most famous and recognisable faces in Britain during the 1970s and 1980s.

He was a multiple British, Commonwealth and European champion at shot put. He set a national record of 21.68m in 1980 which still stands to this day.

It made him a favourite for the Olympic title in Moscow in 1980. However, after finishing eighth after a sixth place finish at the Montreal Games four years earlier, he began to focus on the world of strongmen.

Capes was also a six-time world champion in the Highland Games and held world records in numerous strength events.

When he retired Capes was a coach to several successful shot putters and also won a world title for breeding budgerigars. His children, Lewis and Emma, followed in his footsteps and as they were also national shot put champions. The family tradition is being continued by grandchildren Donovan and Lawson.

In what was his last 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.”

Tributes from fans have flooded platform X/Twitter, with followers of the former strongman sharing their fondness for the sports star. “That is sad news. A big part of growing up watching him win the World’s Strongest Man,” wrote one. “He was a great bloke that lived locally to me when I was a kid. I remember him breeding his budgerigars & even had a couple of his fledgling birds as a kid. Was a true tough guy as well but gentle by nature as a doorman. RIP,” added another.

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