Geoff Capes, two-time World's Strongest Man winner, dies aged 75

Geoff Capes, a legend of British sport, has died aged 75. Born on 23 August 1949 in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, the iconic British athlete made a name for himself not only as a two-time winner of the World's Strongest Man competition in 1983 and 1985, but also as a great shot putter and an inspiration in the sport of powerlifting. Capes originally took up athletics and shot put, in which he held the British record for many years with a throw of 21.68 metres. He was a two-time Commonwealth Games winner in 1974 and 1978 and a two-time champion at the European Indoor Championships (1974, 1976).

In the early days Capes was a sporting all-rounder and achieved success in a variety of disciplines, from football and running to basketball. Eventually, however, he decided to devote himself fully to the shot put, despite his decade-long service in the British police force, which he quit to concentrate more on his sporting career. In 1979, he won Britain's Strongest Man for the first time, which was the beginning of his journey to stardom in the world of strongman competitions.

In addition to his two World's Strongest Man titles, Capes won the European Strongest Man title three more times in 1980, 1982 and 1984. His strength and determination led him to be not only respected as an athlete, but also admired as a person. He was often cited for his good-natured nature, a fact confirmed by the words of Eddie Hall, another British icon in the world of strongman sport. "Geoff was a giant not only in strength but also in heart and spirit. He represented everything that British toughness stands for," Hall wrote.

Capes' career inspired thousands of athletes and his life story will remain an inspiration for future generations. Today he is considered one of the greatest British strongmen of all time.

Source: fitnessvolt.com, nypost.com