Geoff Capes, the 75-year-old British shot-put record holder and two-time World’s Strongest Man, passed yesterday.

Geoff Capes shot-put distance of 21.68 meters in 1980 set a British record that remains in place to this day.

Geoff Capes’ family released a statement saying, “The family of Geoffrey Capes wishes to announce, with great sadness, his passing on October 23.”
“Britain’s top shot-putter and two-time champion of the World’s Strongest Man competition.”

Geoff Capes had an amazing career, taking home gold in the shot put competition at the European Indoor Championships and the Commonwealth Games twice. He competed for Britain in three Olympic Games, and his fifth-place performance at the 1980 Moscow Games was the closest he came to winning a medal.

Capes, who was born in Lincolnshire, was the most successful contestant in the history of the World Highland Games, having won the title six times.

After winning the coveted World’s Strongest Man competition twice, in 1983 in Christchurch, New Zealand, and 1985 in Cascais, Portugal, he rose to fame.

Capes was praised by fellow World’s Strongest Man champion Eddie Hall, who won the title in 2017 and described Capes as “a true giant in strength.”

“Hall remarked that Geoff was more than just a two-time World’s Strongest Man and a record-setting shot-putter; he was also a man of immense heart and spirit.”

“He paved the way for athletes like me, showing that British grit and determination can conquer the world.”

“Many of us found inspiration in Geoff. His extraordinary accomplishments and moral qualities have had a profound impact on the strong community.

“The upcoming generation of strongmen and sportsmen worldwide will continue to draw inspiration from his legacy. Big man, rest comfortably. You will always go down as one of the best.

At his height, he was 6 feet 5.5 inches tall and weighed 170 kg, according to the Geoff Capes Foundation website.

Capes transitioned from competing to teaching and aided a number of young athletes. Additionally, he had appearances on two reality TV programs.

The 2003 result was never validated, even though British athlete Carl Myerscough broke Capes’ shot-put record with a throw of 21.92 meters in Sacramento, USA.

Capes later lived in the Lincolnshire village of Stoke Rochford. He had multiple grandchildren in addition to two children.

Capes, a former Cambridgeshire police officer, was well-known for his love of budgerigar breeding and held the position of president of the Budgerigar Society for a year in 2008.

British Athletics released a statement after learning of his loss, saying, “British Athletics is saddened to learn of the passing of former British shot-putter, Geoff Capes.”

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

Capes’ death was met with “deep sorrow” from Team GB, and Tessa Sanderson, the 1984 Olympic javelin winner, called him “a great man and a great athlete.” Scott Lincoln, the shot-put champion from Britain, went on to say that Capes was the one who pushed the sport “on the map in the UK.”

“An icon, a hero, a legend, a role model, a friend, and an all-around good person,” Lincoln wrote on Instagram. Many people in the sports community, including myself, will miss him terribly.
Sebastian Coe, president of World Athletics, expressed, “The loss of Geoff is a deeply sad moment for all of us in both British and international athletics.”

“He revived interest in our sport and was a towering figure in British athletics. He always looked out for the teams he captained, was fiercely independent, and was competitive.

In summary, Geoff Capes still maintains the British shot put record and competed for Great Britain in three Olympics. In addition to becoming a famous budgerigar breeder, he was a two-time World’s Strongest Man champion. Capes made an enduring impact on British sports, bird breeding, and 1980s pop culture, according to his family’s announcement of his passing on Wednesday.

Capes was 197 cm height, 170 kg in weight, and the World’s Strongest Man champion in 1983 and 1985. His ability to effortlessly bend steel bars and destroy phone books earned him a household figure in Britain, where his admirers were in awe of his power.