Geoff Capes dies: British sporting icon passes away

Geoff Capes, celebrated as Britain's greatest shot-putter and a two-time World's Strongest Man winner, has sadly passed away at the age of 75. A family statement read: "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."

His impressive career included European Indoor Championships gold medals and wins at the Commonwealth Games.

Moreover, Capes' exploits extended to the Highland Games in Scotland where he claimed the World Heavy Events title in Lagos in 1981. In his post-competitive years, he turned his expertise to coaching, mentoring figures such as Adrian Smith, who took fifth place in the World's Strongest Man contest in 1990.

One of nine siblings, Capes became one of the most recognisable British sports personalities throughout the 70s and 80s. His national record for shot put, an astonishing throw of 21.68m set in 1980, remains unbroken.

Despite high expectations, an Olympic medal eluded him throughout his career. Transitioning from shot put to strength athletics, Capes left an indelible mark on the strongman scene, achieving top three finishes six times, with crowning victories in 1983 and 1985, reports the Mirror.

He was not the only athlete in the family; his children, Lewis and Emma, also secured national champion titles in shot put. The sporting legacy firmly continues with his grandchildren Donovan and Lawson keeping up the family tradition.