Britain’s greatest shot putter who twice won the World’s Strongest Man competition

Standing close to 6ft 6in and weighing more than 26st in his athletic prime, Geoff Capes was a mighty figure who commanded international respect as a record-breaking shot putter, and later achieved even greater renown as a sporting personality through appearances in televised strongman competitions. Twice he won the accolade of being World’s Strongest Man, as well as achieving serial successes in Highland Games events.

Although Capes, who has died aged 75, never fulfilled his ambition of winning an Olympic medal, despite competing in three Games, with a best finish of fifth in 1980, he had an illustrious career, winning a Commonwealth gold medal in 1974 and 1978, and twice claiming the European indoor title, in 1974 and 1976. He would represent his country on a record 67 occasions between 1969 and his retirement from athletics 11 years later, when he chose to concentrate on paid competition. He achieved a lifetime best shot put distance of 21.68m in his final competition, in 1980, for a national record that still stands.