Capes could see no future being an amateur and, when persuaded that he would continue to have challenged for any shot set medal in 1984, a whole new vocation combining the entire world Highland Game titles While using the more and more well known and rewarding strongman circuit beckoned.
“We ended up all a gang of mates but superstars in a way,” claims Capes. “We Every had our individual image and, in case you took 1 for each celebration, we were being the top workforce on the planet.“
By this time Capes had started training for the Holbeach Athletic Club. It had been there that his prospective was noticed by a world hurdler, Stuart Storey, who was effectively-regarded in Lincolnshire. Storey was aware that Capes necessary a guiding hand and inspired him to focus on acquiring his higher entire body power in lieu of expending time with a bunch of local troublemakers.
The 66-calendar year-previous previous United kingdom shot set document-holder, who continue to stands at 2nd on the all time rankings driving Carl Myerscough’s 21.92m, is now A prosperous shot place coach, guiding quite a few young athletes to countrywide and Worldwide glory.
"On behalf of all at England Athletics, we would like to share our deepest condolences with all of Geoff's family, pals and supporters, of which there have been a lot of around the globe. His impact on don't just the throwing planet but the broader monitor and industry loved ones was astounding, and his existence will likely be greatly missed.
In genuine Rocky Balboa fashion, from the weights home Capes learnt how you can raise when focusing on the Lincolnshire farming fens together with his father and eight siblings, ahead of later on combining a law enforcement vocation along with his athletics and strongman triumphs.
His most important ever toss, nevertheless, arrived in 1980 when he threw 21.68m in here Cwmbran. He went towards the Moscow Olympics that 12 months aiming to get a medal but a back again personal injury thwarted his likelihood and he wound up fifth.
They then went off on a mutual journey of discovery while in the shot set that would stop with Capes becoming Britain’s most capped athlete, a double European and Commonwealth champion as well as a seventeen-time countrywide winner.
He once threw a 5lb constructing brick 146ft – earning himself an area from the Guinness Reserve of Documents. Tearing telephone directories in half was mentioned for being his get together piece.
His towering stature and strong build had been the merchandise of focused adherence to nourishment and rigorous physical instruction customized towards the demands of his athletics.
I want to increase, though, that Paul and myself have obtained our results of getting nearly all of our athletes to national or Global degree without any enable from your countrywide athletics bodies.”
What might have been a clumsy second was saved by Geoff’s Light humour and appeal, features that endeared him to all who knew him. His afterwards recognition Using the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 was a fitting tribute to his contributions both on and off the sector.
Twitter This information is provided by Twitter, which may be making use of cookies and various technologies. To explain to you this information, we'd like your permission to utilize cookies. You need to use the buttons under to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to permit All those cookies just the moment.
This regularity ensured his status as amongst Britain’s hottest athletes. The occasionally weird mother nature of A few of these trials of toughness, including hauling a 9-ton lorry 100ft or pushing a 900lb weight uphill on wheels, was not dropped on Capes. He reported his favorite activities have been the truck pull as well as bar bend.