Matt Denny breaks national discus record

Discus thrower Matt Denny knows people don’t really believe him when he says he will win gold at the Paris Olympics.

He gets it, as he’s come fourth twice – at last year’s world athletics championships in Budapest and fourth again at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 – and he was fourth in the world rankings. And he really hates being fourth.

On Saturday at the national titles and Olympic trials in Adelaide, Denny threw bigger than he has ever thrown before, bigger, in fact, than any Australian has ever thrown. He broke his own national record from Budapest last year by 1.11 metres with his heave of 69.35m to win his seventh national title.

Oh, and a week ago he had COVID.

“I’ve said my focus was to win the Olympics and I think a lot of people haven’t taken that too seriously. Which is fair enough considering I’m fourth in the order right now, fourth in the rankings and I haven’t broken that 70-metre mark,” he said.

“Today we didn’t have huge winds or anything, that’s a replicable throw in an Olympics and I think that changes my argument on being competitive and looking for that win in Paris. That’s our focus, that’s what we’re planning on doing, just keep building off this.

“Everyone knows I’m no bullshit when it comes to majors, I am there to compete and I’m there, as I said last year in Budapest, I’m not here to participate, I’m here to win medals and try and win championships so it is what it is.

“Seventy metres is a big mark and we are in an era of discus that’s the most competitive ever and to be honest I wouldn’t be surprised if the world record gets broken this weekend with [Lithuanian world championship silver medallist Mykolas] Alekna throwing in the US with some big windy meets and he is showing some good form already this year.”