By Jeremy Cook
Allora’s Matt Denny returned home nothing short of a hero on Friday.
Hugs, smiles and a good old fashioned country street parade were what awaited the Olympic discus thrower on his first trip home since winning a historic bronze in Paris.
Denny became the first ever Australian discus thrower to place on the podium at an Olympic Games when he threw 69.31 metres to break his fourth-place curse in August.
One month later, the 28-year-old broke the Australian record for the second time this year with a huge throw of 69.96m to claim a second straight Diamond League title in Brussels.
To celebrate what marked a career-defining season for the Olympian, his hometown of Allora put on a party. Crowds lined the streets as Denny paraded himself through the town on the back of his uncle’s car before coming to a halt out front of the Allora Sports Museum.
“Matthew Denny, Matt to his mates, is one of Queensland’s athletic greats,” Southern Downs town crier Bob Townshend told the crowd who were now gathered in front of a makeshift stage outside the museum.
Addressing the crowd, Denny fought back tears as he thanked everyone who had supported him during his career.
“First off, I want to say thank you to Allora,” he said.
“I know there’s been a lot of things going on behind the scenes and to be able to have an opportunity like this to get the community together … I think that it represents a lot more than just throwing discs a long way and yelling at it.
“I truly think of all you guys, even just the three big gum trees at my home circle, when I’m in front of 80,000 people.
“Thank you to everyone for making today happen.”
His emotional address followed several tributes from community leaders.
Allora Sports Museum President Perry Cronin presented Denny with a special framed certificate on behalf of the entire town. Cronin joked about how he’d been involved with the now almost two-metre tall Denny since the age of 12 “when he was about the size of me”.
“Back then I thought you’ll just follow in the Denny tradition and be a pretty good footballer just either go into selling cars or silos,” Cronin said.
“I would never ever imagine that I’d be standing here today presenting him with a memento from our town,” he said.
“We are extremely proud of you.”
Allora-based Southern Downs Councillor Carla Pidgeon offered a similarly touching tribute.
“Welcome home to the place that makes your heart feel most relaxed, most loved and truly at home,” Cr Pidgeon said.
“After all your hard work and with another great season, we are so glad that this special place for you is Allora,” she said.
Mayor Melissa Hamilton offered her congratulations saying Denny had inspired “so many people” all over the country.
“You are spoken about, not just across the Southern Downs, but actually all across Australia,” Cr Hamilton said.
“You’re going to go bigger and bigger and we as a community will consistently be behind you.”
After being flanked by adoring fans, including a group of Toowoomba high school students armed with Denny face masks, crowds joined the Olympic hero at Allora community hall to bask in some good old fashioned afternoon tea.
Scones, biccies and cake preceded an insightful Q&A session with Denny who, with his bronze medal hanging around his neck, delved deep into what made 2024 his most successful season yet.
Speaking to Warwick Stanthorpe Today afterwards, Denny said he was pretty sure the whole town had come out to witness the afternoon’s events.
“Obviously it’s not a big town and I’m pretty sure the whole town was in the room today,” he said.
“It’s a very selfish endeavour but the fact people are saying to me that I’ve inspired their kids and everything else like that, … it’s the coolest part of the job.
The adoration Denny’s hometown has for him is unrivalled, something he sometimes finds difficult to put into words.
“I’m pretty good with words. I’ve got a gift for the gab, but sometimes it definitely has me choked up,” he said.
“It’s not until you do stuff like this that actually people, even people in my team, go ‘yeah holy sh*t’. Like they knew it was big, but not this.”
Denny said he still has to “pinch” himself whenever he sees his mural on the side of Allora’s Railway Hotel.
He said he planned to have a “real send off” for his team that night.
“I’ve got all my close family, friends and support team and finally get them all in one room after Paris and give my appreciation to them and give them the night off to really celebrate.
“This is going to be the real send off for 2024 for us.”
