Denny wields mighty hammer
DESPITE having mixed emotions over the hammer throw competition which clinched his selection, Queenslander Matthew Denny says he considers himself a gold medal chance in the April Commonwealth Games.
Denny’s Games A- qualifying throw of 72.78 in the second round of the hammer throw was enough for the gold medal in the national titles at Carrara Stadium and clinched nomination in one of two events he hopes to compete in at the Gold Coast Games.
The 21- year- old from Allora passed on the last three rounds of the hammer throw to conserve his strength for last night’s discus final, but is ranked seventh in the world this year in the hammer throw and No. 1 in the Commonwealth by almost 5m.
England’s Nick Miller has been selected for his nation’s Gold Coast Games team and was the leading Commonwealth thrower last year with 77.51m, good for 13th in the world.
“It’s hard to say what the others can do, but I know I’m in good enough form to do really well and potentially win,’’ Denny said.
“It’s a massive relief that I am in the team, but also there are frustrations that it wasn’t a great comp for me. I got a bit nervous and lost my feet a little.
“It was good and bad, but to put that one throw well enough together was a good sign for me.’’
Victorian runner- up Jack Dalton lodged his 12th B- qualifying distance, 65.78m, and fully warrants Games selection.
Denny leads rivals from Commonwealth countries by almost 5m, with South African Tshepang Makhethe next on 67.84m and Dalton third in the Commonwealth and 24th in the world.
After three events of the 10event decathlon, Brisbane’s Rio Olympian Cedric Dubler was well ahead of projections for the first Games A- qualifying standard by an Australian when it wraps up tonight.
Dubler posted a 100m personal best of 10.63, eclipsing his best by .08sec, and his longest shot put distance of 12.30m. His score after three events was 50 points ahead of where he was on the event in which he posted his personal best.