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Colin Bryce, a former Strongman and television commentator for the World’s Strongest Guy competition, mentioned of Capes within an job interview, “When you noticed him dash, you understood just what an Totally terrifying athlete he was, as in terrifyingly fantastic. He wasn’t just a huge lump.”[six]
Born in 1949 in England, Geoff Capes grew from the tall and promising schoolboy into one of the most towering figures in British sports activities.
His constant performances around the Intercontinental stage fortified his reputation as on the list of leading figures on the planet of strength athletics.
All round, his legacy extends significantly outside of the accolades and records in strength athletics. By means of his contributions to be a coach and promoter, he carries on to shape the way forward for strength athletics. Furthermore, his prosperous foray into bird breeding showcases a man who embraces existence’s assorted passions While using the exact same zeal he did in sports activities.
Adhering to during the footsteps of his grandfather, uncle and older brothers, he joined Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 1970, and remained inside the law enforcement for 10 years; his departure from your law enforcement arrived when he made a decision to compete within the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Regardless of the British Government's calls for a boycott, and was thus pressured to resign his situation.[11]
In May well 1980 he came up along with his longest at any time throw: a Commonwealth history of 21.sixty eight which survived since the British document for 23 years. He went in the Moscow Olympics ranked next but a back again damage hampered his prospects and he placed fifth. His athletics job could have ended in annoyance but Capes went on to become a lot better identified to most of the people by two times winning the televised Earth’s Strongest Guy title as well as being one of several region’s foremost budgerigar breeders.
Despite the fact that he was instinctively drawn to all physical actions, achievement was initially elusive for Capes in any sporting context. He was banned from enjoying for an area soccer staff for the yr right after hitting a referee in the course of a match.
The younger athlete, perhaps not but mindful of the legacy he was to depart in the Activity, claimed his initial gold medal inside the shot set occasion. It absolutely was in this article that a world viewers very first witnessed his ability and prospective.
His sizing meant he was regularly pitted towards older competition; invariably he beat them. By the tip of 1966, aged seventeen, he was rated thirtieth within the nationwide listings.
Just about every victory solidified his standing, contributing to your legacy of unequalled dominance and attractive regularity.
In correct Rocky Balboa style, during the weights place Capes learnt how you can carry when focusing on the Lincolnshire farming fens alongside his father and 8 siblings, just before afterwards combining a police career together with his athletics and strongman triumphs.
Following creating his foray into public services as being a policeman, Capes kept himself totally associated with athletics. His commitment by no means waned as he coupled long function hours with strenuous training regimes.
He was frequently caned and on 1 situation, for misbehaving in a very lesson, a Trainer twisted his ear more info till it bled. That same afternoon Capes’s mom went to The varsity and punched the man. “She laid him out!” Capes recalled cheerfully.