Capes was born in 1949 in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, the seventh of 9 little ones, and as being a youngster became a member of Holbeach Athletic Club, wherever he was coached by Olympic hurdler Stuart Storey, and represented his county in basketball, football and cross-place.
In genuine Rocky Balboa fashion, from the weights area Capes learnt ways to lift when focusing on the Lincolnshire farming fens together with his father and eight siblings, ahead of afterwards combining a police occupation along with his athletics and strongman triumphs.
Being a strongman, Capes became a domestic name in Britain and many areas of the whole world.[17] He was particularly recognized for his remarkable hand and arm power, easily tearing London phone directories in fifty percent and bending rolled steel bars measuring about 1 inch in diameter, and three ft in length. Capes turned entirely Skilled in 1980, the Olympics in Moscow remaining his final celebration being an novice athlete.
The turning place for Capes being an athlete was when he met the Global dash hurdler Stuart Storey. A self-confessed “tearaway”, Capes knuckled down below Storey’s coaching and commenced setting age documents from sixteen onwards. They remained lifelong pals, way too, with Storey Regrettably breaking the information of Capes’ death to AW
As PC 222 he was well-referred to as Peterborough’s very first line of defence. “The police utilized my energy very constructively,” he said. “When I was on responsibility there were never any fights on Friday evenings. If things turned unsightly, they’d usually say ‘Send for Capesy’.”
He was among the favourites for gold at both of those of his latter tournaments but completed sixth and fifth.
In retirement, Capes grew to become a coach of diverse prosperous shot putters and was president from the Budgerigar Modern society. His little ones, Lewis and Emma, ended up also national shot put champions and also the family custom is at this time staying continued by grandchildren Donovan and Lawson.
Turning professional inevitably introduced with it the next profile and meant that Capes relished spells in pantomime and on several tv programmes. Record Breakers was a organic dwelling for your gentleman who thrived off shows of strength.
A third commented: "Unfortunate to hear of the Demise of Geoff Capes. He was an enormous part of my Television set childhood. Ideas are along with his family and friends."
All through tea breaks at the haulier's yard, he created his arm strength by lifting two four-stone weights overhead. He also produced a makeshift gymnasium with two pals.[8] In the course of this time, he joined a neighborhood athletics club, in which he satisfied Stuart Storey, a hurdler who afterwards competed read more in the 1968 Olympics. Capes mentioned that Storey served him turn his life close to and guided him throughout his early days in athletics. Storey inspired him to test shot place and be involved in competitions. Missing the implies to get appropriate clothing, Capes attended activities sporting garments remaining at the rear of by his mom's clients once they died.[6] His first endeavor at aggressive shot-putting ended with him placing next-to-past in the finals of your 1964 All England Educational facilities Athletics Championships.[eight]
The previous police officer was a double Commonwealth Games winner and represented Excellent Britain at the Olympics 3 times, but is perhaps most effective noted for his achievement on the globe’s Strongest Male Competitiveness, using the title in the two 1983 and 1985.
Capes still left school at fourteen; on his last working day his headmaster told him he would under no circumstances make everything of himself. Getting no skills, he joined his father as being a labourer during the fields finding fruit and vegetables.
In 1987 his win in the World Muscle Power was accompanied by a gain on the globe Strongman Problem and he is among only three athletes to acquire received all 3 titles. There was no Entire world's Strongest Male that 12 months, but an celebration was held made exclusively to put the 3 most productive strongmen towards one another.
He also built 17 pantomime appearances and showcased in quite a few tv adverts (he famously gave the VW Polo a when over by rolling it from top rated to bottom and aspect to facet).