Geoff Capes, a three-time Olympic shot put champion for Great Britain, passed away at the age of 75.

In addition to competing in the 1972 Munich Olympics, the 1976 Montreal Games, and the Moscow Olympics four years later, the Lincolnshire-born athlete won gold twice for Britain at the Commonwealth Games and twice more in the European Indoor Championships in the 1970s.

In addition to his athletic endeavours, Capes was a strongman competitor and after the culmination of his shot put career focused on the World’s Strongest Man - eventually being crowned winner on two occasions, in 1983 and 1985.

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.”

During his career, Capes was a multiple British, Commonwealth and European champion in shot put and set a national record of 21.68m in 1980 which still stands.

That record made him one of the favourites heading into the Moscow Olympics in 1980 as he looked to improve on his sixth place finish from Montreal four years earlier. However, things didn’t go to plan and he came eighth, deciding in the aftermath to switch focus to the strongman competition.

He competed in six competitions throughout the 1980s and never once finished outside of the top three with his best performances culminating in victories in 1983 and 1985.

Capes also delved into the Highland Games and became a six times world champion, first winning the title in Lagos in 1981.

In retirement he continued to be involved in shot put as a referee, event promoter, and coach while also winning a world title for breeding budgerigars.

His children, Lewis and Emma, were also national shot put champions as are his grandch grandchildren Donovan and Lawson.