Sport
From legendary strongman to avid budgie breeder – the unforgettable life of beloved Olympian Geoff Capes
GIANT policeman Geoff Capes, who became Britain’s best-loved strongman, has died aged 75.
Shot putter Capes — who stood 6ft 5½in and weighed 26st — represented Great Britain at three Olympics.
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He was Commonwealth champion and European champion twice and since 1980 has been the country’s shot put record holder with a throw of 21.68metres.
But the star was best known as the World’s Strongest Man, who could tear London phone directories in half and bend three-foot long, one-inch diameter steel bars.
But remarkably, his hobby was breeding budgerigars which he held gently in his giant hands.
And he became the president of the Budgerigar Society and was never happier than when he won the world budgie championship and travelled the globe judging bird shows.
Last night fans took to social media to pay tribute to the beloved strongman.
I was a hell of a fighter as well. If the next town came down on a Friday and there were only eight or nine of them I’d say, ‘Go back and get some more.
Geoff on his youth
One said on X: “I watched him as a young man — my sincerest condolences to his family and friends, we’ll miss you Geoff.”
Another added: “Sad to hear the passing of Geoff Capes. A fixture growing up on our TV and during athletics coverage.”
Geoffrey Lewis Capes was born in 1949 in Holbeach, Lincs, the seventh of nine children.
And trouble was never far away.
He remembered: “I was a hell of a fighter as well. If the next town came down on a Friday and there were only eight or nine of them I’d say, ‘Go back and get some more.’
“I’d fight them on my own. I was quite quiet, but there was an inner aggression.
“My headmaster, a guy called Joe Fathers, took great pleasure in trying to knock it out of me. He had a choice of canes.
“On the last day I went into his office, I took the canes off the wall in the office in front of him and walked out.”
Gifted sportsman
Geoff’s salvation was Holbeach Athletic Club where he was coached by BBC athletics commentator Stuart Storey.
A gifted sportsman, Capes represented Lincolnshire at basketball, football and cross-country. But shot put was where he could channel the chip on his shoulder.
Capes said: “I threw in bare feet in a concrete circle — and came second from last.”
Capes would hitch-hike to athletics competitions and was told by Storey that he would achieve great things if he could just direct his energy.
But growing up in the Lincs fens Geoff had a softer side — he was fascinated by the natural world and cared for injured birds and animals.
After leaving school he worked as a coalman and an agricultural labourer before joining Cambridgeshire Constabulary in 1970. He served in the force for ten years.
He was allowed time off to compete at athletics meetings, but on a copper’s salary he could barely afford a daily diet that included six pounds of red meat, a dozen eggs and a large tin of baked beans.
He also consumed two tins of pilchards, one and a half pounds of cottage cheese, a packet of cereal, two large loaves of bread with a pound of butter. All washed down with a pint of orange juice and seven pints of milk.
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In his last interview he said: “I ate like a f***ing horse! Anything I could get my hands on. But nearly all protein.”
Capes, who would lift 120 tons in training each week, did sponsorship deals that helped him to bypass the Olympics’ strict amateur rules.
He had advertising slogans “Butcher Brown is the best in town” and his Talbot Estate car displayed “Dewhurst: Master Butchers” on the side.
Capes went on to become the most capped British male athlete of all time, with 67 international credits, and in 1983 he was voted Britain’s best-ever field athlete.
Just before his last Olympics, Moscow 1980, he won Britain’s first strongest man competition and became a household name. Tests of strength such as bending steel bars, lifting a platform of bunny girls, pulling lorries, arm wrestles and tug of war gave the show cult status.
And Capes was soon in demand for everything from 17 pantomime appearances and children’s TV to performances at the London Palladium with Bobby Davro and TV ads.
By 1983 he was officially the world’s strongest man but the following year lost the title to Jón Páll Sigmarsson.
The Icelander who was 11 years younger, taunted: “The King has lost his crown!”
But Geoff swore: “I’ll be back.” The next year he took the title and roared: “The King has not lost his crown!”
Once, at Scotland’s Braemar Games, he used so much resin competing that when he was congratulated by the late Queen, their hands stuck together, causing Her Majesty to roar with laughter.
Geoff’s son Lewis and daughter Emma were both shot putters, while two of his grandchildren, Donovan, 19, and Lawson, 15, train at the shot put ring Capes built in his home village of Stoke Rochford, Lincs.
In a recent interview he said: “I enjoyed my life and I went around the world. How many people can say that?”
Gatland now faces a conundrum as to where he plays “the best back in Wales”.
Thomas has played 12 in each of Cardiff’s five URC outings so far this season, but faces stiff competition from Eddie James, Max Llewellyn, Owen Watkin and Nick Tompkins for the Wales shirt.
Thomas said he is aware of conversations between Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt and Gatland over his positioning.
“I think generally speaking both sets of coaches have been pretty relaxed on where I’m playing week to week as there are those transferrable skills between both positions,” he said.
“It’s definitely a conversation that I’m aware of, thus far it’s gone pretty smoothly.”
Thomas said he is also happy to step up to the tee, for club or country, should he be needed as a goal kicker, having put in plenty of mid-week practice.
“Gats is pretty good in not putting too much expectation on the kicking, he knew that it was not something I was doing every week,” he said.
“It’s trying to get as much composure as possible when you’re in the heat of battle and just focussing on each kick as a separate part of the game.”
Sport
Champions League LIVE RESULTS: Haaland scores OUTRAGEOUS goal in win, Nunez scores Reds winner, Barca THRASH Bayern
Matchday three comes to an end
That’s all from us at the end of another thrilling night of Champions League football.
We’ve seen Barca batter Bayern, Haaland stun Sparta, and Liverpool triumph again.
Elsewhere, Celtic held firm in Bergamo, Lille toppled another Madrid giant, and Inter left it late to hurt Young Boys.
Then there was teenager Milambo shining at the Estadio da Luz, Brest and Bayer remaining unbeaten, and Salzburg going down against Dinamo.
And breathe. Follow all that, Europa League. We’ll be back here tomorrow to see if it can.
Thanks for joining us, and goodnight.
The bottom 12
Before we sign off for the night, here’s how the bottom 12 stand in the League Phase, the sides that are contemplating elimination.
Indeed, the bottom six are yet to register a point, and they include both Red Bull clubs (and Red Star).
Slot’s Reds keep on rolling
Another game, another win for Liverpool. Who said following Jurgen Klopp would be the hardest of tasks?
In the process, Arne Slot has become the first manager to win as many as 11 of his first 12 games in charge across all competitions in English top-flight history.
Sport
Erling Haaland goal: Man City forward hailed after acrobatic goal in Champions League win over Sparta Prague
Words hardly do justice to the athleticism and quality required to produce the finish Haaland achieved, and even his team-mates were in awe.
In his pitch-side interview after the game, Foden told TNT Sports: “I just spoke to him and said: ‘If I tried to do that I’d pull by groin!’
“I don’t know how he does it. It shows he has this talent that no-one else can do.”
The strike was reminiscent of one Haaland scored against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League two years ago.
But that, as brilliant as it was, was a volley scored when he was facing towards the net. His goal against Sparta Prague on Wednesday was as he was facing the wrong direction, but somehow managed to twist and produce enough power with his backheel volley to score.
“It was an amazing goal,” Nunes said. “I was speechless after that shot.
“When he scored against Dortmund I was watching on TV. To see this live was amazing.”
Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott said on TNT Sports: “It was a unique finish.
“It is not a finish many strikers would attempt or even execute. It is unique to him and his athleticism.”
Ex-Manchester City defender and England captain Steph Houghton said on Match of the Day: “That finish was something else.
“He is the only striker in the world who can score from those positions.”
Football
Can Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears OVERCOME Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders? | NFL on FOX Pod
Video Details
Dave Helman sits down to preview the game between the Washington Commanders and the Chicago Bears! Within the discussion, Helman discusses both Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. Helman also questions where Daniels will be able to play this weekend.
50 MINS AGO・the nfl on fox podcast・6:25
Sport
Man City player ratings: Even Pep Guardiola can’t believe how good Erling Haaland is as new Samba man fails to shine
MANCHESTER CITY put in a five star performance as they romped to victory over Sparta Prague.
The Citizens ran out 5-0 winners at the Etihad with Pep Guardiola‘s side bagging four goals in the second half.
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Phil Foden gave the hosts the perfect start as he fired in the opener inside just three minutes.
Erling Haaland also got himself on the scoresheet in the second half.
The Norweigian striker had plenty of attempts to score, but it was his improvised finish in the 58th minute that found its way past Peter Vindahl Jensen.
John Stones made it three with a brilliant looping header to add to his solid performance at the back.
Haaland got his second in the 67th minute to make it 44 in the Champions League.
Matheus Nunes was also impressed as he netted from the spot in the closing stages, which added to his two assists.
SunSport’s Ken Lawrence has given his ratings of Pep Guardiola’s side…
Stefan Ortega – 5
Almost a spectator, but at least it wasn’t cold or pouring down.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Nathan Ake – 5
Back after injury and unlucky to have City’s second chalked off.
Manuel Akanji – 5
Training games against his own team-mates are far harder than this was.
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John Stones – 7
Followed his winner against Wolves with another towering header.
Rico Lewis – 6
The young multi-tasker produced a typical all-action display
Matheus Nunes – 7
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He claimed two assists and bagged his first-ever Champions League goal from the spot late on.
Savinho – 5
Supposed to be the new Samba man but didn’t dance that great.
Ilkay Gundogan – 7
The midfielder cruised through the 100th Champions League game of his career.
Bernardo Silva – 6
Quiet, effective and a non-stop cog spinning the City wheel.
Phil Foden – 7
It was a slick early finish in only his fourth start of the season, but the spark faded.
Erling Haaland – 9
Even Pep Guardiola couldn’t quite believe his amazing airborne strike before he added his second.
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Subs
Mateo Kovacic (for Bernardo Silva 69) – 5
Couldn’t have had an easier task by the time he emerged.
James McAtee (for Gundogan 69) – 5
A few minutes of Champions League experience with no strain.
Josko Gvardiol (for Ake 74) – 5
Just a pleasant walk in the park….
Ruben Dias (for Stones 74) – 5
He won’t have minded stretching his legs for a bit.
Nico O’Reilly (for Haaland 81) – 5
The young attacker replaced a living legend.
Sport
Champions League MOTD analysis: How Marc Casadó, Pedri and Fermín López led Barcelona to victory against Bayern Munich
Watch Match of the Day analysis of how Barcelona’s trio of 21-year-old midfielders – Marc Casadó, Pedri and Fermín López – inspired the five-time winners to a fantastic 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich.
WATCH MORE: Raphinha hits hat-trick as Barcelona demolish Bayern
Available to UK users only.
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