Thrower goes big to claim uni games gold
Allora thrower Matthew Denny has set a personal best in an indoor stadium in winning the discus at the World University Games in Naples, Italy.
This win followed his silver in hammer and fourth in discus at last year’s Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast.
In 2016, he finished 19th in the discus at the Rio Olympics.
Denny won’t be coming home from Naples just yet as he will be competing in the Diamond League in Europe for the first time.
His brother, Jason Denny, said Matthew would be ecstatic with his performance on the big stage.
“He achieved his third qualifier in discus for the world championships later this year,” Jason said.
“The family knows how much he puts into his training.
‘‘ HE ACHIEVED HIS THIRD QUALIFIER IN DISCUS FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS LATER THIS YEAR. JASON DENNY
“He trains hard so he can travel overseas and compete at the top level.”
Denny won with his fifth throw, a massive 65.27m, at Naples.
His best distance is 65.67m in America in 2016 to qualify for the Olympics but there was a wind at the athletics on that occasion.
It is an even better performance to pass 65m in an indoor stadium.
Four years ago, he won silver in the same event at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea, with a throw of 62.58m.
His gold this week is his second internationally after he won gold in discus and bronze in hammer at the World Youth Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine, in 2013.
He made it to the Olympics while living at Allora but is now based in Brisbane where he is coached by Ben Thomson, son of legendary Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson.