Geoff Capes

Geoffrey Lewis Humberg Capes JP (23 August 1949 – 23 October 2024) was an English shot putter, strongman, and Highland Games competitor. He represented England and Great Britain in field athletics, specialising in the shot put, an event in which he was twice Commonwealth champion, twice European indoor champion, competed at three Olympic Games and holds the British record for the shot put since 1980, with a distance of 21.68 metres (71 ft 2 in). As a strongman, he won World's Strongest Man twice, and World Muscle Power Classic twice, along with several other titles including Europe's Strongest Man and Britain's Strongest Man. As a Highland Games competitor, he was six times world champion, first winning the title in Lagos in 1981 and the final title in 1987. Throughout his career, Capes set 17 world records. Following retirement from competitive sport, he continued to be involved in strength athletics as a referee, coach, event promoter, sportswear retailer and became renowned as a world-class breeder of birds.