Young Donovan is next to step up in the Capes family circle

Donovan Capes is the name and he’s the 11 year-old grandson of British athletics legend Geoff Capes.

The Bourne Academy student competes for Nene Valley Harriers and at the recent London Indoor Games at the Lee Valley Stadium he threw a personal best 9.20m to shoot up to number three in the UK Under 13 indoor rankings.

And he’s not just following in grandad’s famous footsteps (Geoff was a British, European and Commonwealth champion who competed 67 times for Great Britain). Donovan’s dad Lewis and his Aunt Emma, Geoff’s two children, were also champions in the shot putt circle.

Lewis won the British Public Schools Championships while a pupil at Millfield School and Emma was twice an English Schools champion and a European Youth Championship medallist.

“Watch out - there’s another Capes about,” said Lewis.

“He certainly has the build for shot-putting. He’s a tall lad for his age at 5ft 7in and he takes size 10-and-a-half shoes! And he’ll also get the best coaching available as he’s part of my father’s Elite Throws Squad.

“He is a very able all-round athlete and a useful sprinter.

“But Donovan’s passion at the moment lies with rugby. He is part of the undefeated Spalding Under 12 team that won the Tigers Land Rover Cup this year.”

Lewis himself was also a big rugby player. He represented Somerset Schools and went on to represent the South-West and the England Trent Rugby Schoolboy squad.

He would probably have gone on to play the game professionally but instead chose American Football.

He attended and played for Santa Monica College and then Colorado State University in America and from 1995 to 1998 he played for the London Monarchs.

Whichever sporting path Donovan takes, he’s certainly got a lot to live up to.