Background
Reeves was born in 1962 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He grew up in the city and went to the City School.
Reeves was born in 1962 in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He grew up in the city and went to the City School.
Following retirement from competitive sport he continued to be involved in strength athletics as a referee, event promoter and coach. He went on to become a colliery blacksmith"s welder before his success as a strongman led him to give up that profession. In 1987 he improved on his second-place finish by winning the Midland"s Strongest Manitoba (the first of three consecutive wins).
In 1988 he took the title of East Britain"s Strongest Manitoba and entered John Smith"s Trial of Strength, a competition organised by Geoff Capes and David Webster in order to find the successor to the retired Capes.
Underlining his calibre, he then broke Tom Topham"s 274-year-old record by harness lifting three beer barrels weighing a total of 845 kg. This performances culminated in an invitation to the 1988 World"s Strongest Manitoba where he finished third on his first attempt, to Jón Páll Sigmarsson and Bill Kazmaier.
He was injured for the next two competitions and on his return in 1992 came second equal with Magnús Ver Magnússon. Jamie"s best results in IPF or WPC powerlifting competition are:
Squat - 362.5 kilograms (799 lb) (IPF)
Bench press - 272.5 kilograms (601 lb) (done at WPC Push-Pull exhibition meet in 1994 in England)
Deadlift - 367.5 kilograms (810 lb) (IPF)
All lifts performed "raw" (no power suits or bench shirts)
After retiring from strength sports, Jamie became an International Federation of Strength Athletes judge, and ran his own gym.