Geoff Capes was also Among the most recognisable faces in the country, showing up prime time on each individual programme it is possible to envision from This is often Your lifetime and also the Sooty Exhibit (exactly where Sweep dreamed of beating him for the tug of war) to Blankety Blank and Super Gran (who he virtually killed with a stray toss of a massive tree trunk).

The assortment of toughness assessments – bending steel bars, lifting a System of bunny women, rolling more than cars and trucks, pulling lorries, loading sacks of sand on to the back of the truck, arm wrestles and tug of war – gave the exhibit cult standing.

Capes has claimed that he was compelled to go to the All-England Educational facilities Athletics Championships in the age of 14 devoid of plimsolls, and experienced no option but to execute on concrete in bare ft.

I want to incorporate, however, that Paul and myself have obtained our achievement of using the vast majority of our athletes to countrywide or Intercontinental level with no support within the countrywide athletics bodies.”

Capes’s commitment to his craft and unwavering function ethic serve as a testament to the power of perseverance. His legacy lives on to be a image of energy, dedication, plus the relentless pursuit of excellence.

Geoff Capes’s influence extends significantly outside of his own accomplishments. His more substantial-than-lifetime persona and incredible feats of power encouraged a technology of athletes to thrust their limitations and try for greatness.

His brute toughness and unyielding willpower permitted him to set numerous earth data in gatherings such as the shot place and weightlifting. Capes’s legacy as one among the greatest power athletes of all time is firmly cemented in background.

The 6ft 5in legend turned his attentions from entertaining the nation bending metal bars and tearing mobile phone directories in 50 % right after here his athletics job ended adhering to his exit for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, wherever he concluded fifth, to inspiring his son Lewis and daughter Emma to succeed in the shot themselves.

Capes’ to start with-hand experience of monetary hardship impressed him to start out the Geoff Capes Basis. This nationwide organisation provides funding to aid kids with sporting expertise just take component in sporting activities together with other leisure routines.

Can you utilize it at pace? Can you operate with 400 lbs .? I generally did that on a farm Once i was a kid with sacks of potatoes. And that i worked factors out technically. They would connect with me ‘figures’. If I went initial, you’d see Anyone copying.

Coming in at a excess weight of 170kg throughout his primary, Capes was A prosperous competitor and respected figure. Among the countless achievements, he established a brand new Olympic report in shot put and will elevate twenty tons of spuds in twenty minutes. Following Yet another decade as a strongman, Capes fell underneath the radar.

The long run strongman’s Preliminary foray into the world of sporting activities wasn’t by lifting stones or tossing logs, but fairly, it commences within the willpower of observe and area.

Capes has also made the Lincolnshire Throws Academy for shot and discus in Holbeach, and his coaching protege and assistant, Paul Wilson, has long gone on to tutorial Scott Lincoln to your primary place inside the national senior ranks, together with numerous other successes.

“At last, I will constantly remember getting introduced with the best athlete award because of the Queen at one of the Highland Video games I gained in Braemar, and my hand absolutely sticking to hers for many reason!”