British shot-put great Geoff Capes dies

Geoff Capes, the British shot-put record holder and twice the world's strongest man, has died aged 75, his family said.

Capes set the national record with a distance of 21.68m in 1980.

In a statement, his 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."

Geoff Capes (1949–2024) R.I.P pic.twitter.com/CTmUBOt1SQ

— 🇬🇧📺 Classic British TV 📺🇬🇧 (@Classicbritcom) October 23, 2024

Although Capes won Commonwealth Games gold in 1974 and 1978, his best results came at the European Indoor Championships, where he won two golds, three silvers and a bronze between 1974 and 1979.

Outdoors he won a European bronze medal and placed in the top six at the 1976 and 1980 Olympics.

A policeman by profession, Capes is best known to many for his dominance of World's Strongest Man contests, winning the title in 1983 in Christchurch, New Zealand and in 1985 in Cascais, Portugal.