How a Toowoomba farm boy aimed at a cubby house to find his way into history
Matt Denny has channelled visions of the country Queensland circle where he learnt to throw a discus to claim a historic bronze in the sport’s greatest Olympic final in Paris.
The 28-year-old (69.31 metres) broke his fourth-place curse, going within a whisker of his personal best to finish third.
Jamaicaās surprise winner Roge Stona (70m) shocked Lithuanian world champion Mykolas Alekna (69.97), both men breaking the 20-year-old Games record.
The effort would have won the Australian gold at the last four Games, Aleknaās father Virgilijusās 2004 mark broken by his own son before the Jamaican came from the clouds to trump them all.
Dennyās bronze is the first for an Australian in the event and came after he missed the podium by 5cm in Tokyo.
He also boasts a fourth and two sixths in the last three world championships.
In front of 80,000 at Stade de France, Denny said he felt a sense of calm as he pictured himself back home in Allora, a town of barely 1000 people south of Toowoomba.
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āAt home thereās three trees and a cubby house,ā he said.
āThatās all Iām seeing.
āJust trying to see the cubby house and hit it, ācause itās out at 85m ā¦ so it would have been nice to hit it today.
āWhen I throw in Allora itās somehow a different throw, itās freedom.ā
He shed joyful tears for his father who had remained in Australia due to health issues and his hundreds of supporters who have gone the journey with him, Denny promising more at Los Angelesā and Brisbaneās Games to come.
āThere still is so much there ā¦ always so close and it was that again today,ā he said.
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āBut no regrets ā¦ itās part of history, thatās the greatest Olympic menās discus final ever.
āEvery day Iāve woken up thinking 68, 69 (metres) isnāt enough any more.
āItās setting a new standard for whatās possible.
āEveryoneās looking around and today proved that, with Roje.ā
Denny briefly led with his second effort before the gold and silver medallists extended the mark.
A 69.15 with his fifth throw, like his second, didnāt feel quite right.
āI missed it. I know when Iāve absolutely drilled it and I didnāt do that today,ā he said.
āI knew what the throw needed to feel like, just didnāt line up ā¦ just off.ā
But inevitably it was enough for him to avoid another dreaded fourth.
āI wasnāt walking in thinking, āPlease, dear god, not another fourthā,ā he said.
āI was in like, āWeāre going to win thisā.
āAnd we gave it one of the best cracks youāll ever see.ā
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