By TANIA PHILLIPS
GOOD luck, Matthew, we’re right behind you – that was the message from his home town to Olympic track and field competitor Matt Denny on Saturday.
Friends, family, training partners and supporters were out in force in Allora at the weekend to farewell the discus thrower ahead of his Olympic debut in Rio next month.
The talented thrower was guest of honour at a barbecue and fund-raiser put on by the Allora Regional Sports Museum.
Museum president Perry Cronin said more than 150 people turned up for the event.
“It was a bit of everything,” Mr Cronin said of the event.
“We just wanted to farewell him and wish him luck.”
All eyes in Allora and across the Southern Downs will be on the young athlete as he steps on to the world stage in Brazil after a nail-biting journey to qualify.
In April 2016, Matt won the national discus title with a throw of 60.47m. During the summer, his personal best had reached 63.02m, still below the Olympic qualifying standard of 65m.
Later in April, he travelled to California in pursuit of the qualifier, and in three consecutive competitions threw 64 metres, highlighted by a best of 64.73m, but remaining agonisingly 27 centimetres short of a Rio berth.
He returned to his home in Queensland for more training. Determined to qualify, he travelled back to California one month later, and in his first competition, nailed the standard with a personal best of 65.37m, moving him to fifth on the Australian all-time list.
While still a teenager, last summer he won the open discus and hammer throw national titles, becoming only the second athlete to achieve this feat and the first for 63 years.
Perry said the group presented the young thrower with a ring as a good luck token with a little money left over to send with him. Accounts have also been set up to help the young athlete with his fund-raising.
“We didn’t have time to have it sized, but it fits on his pinkie,” he laughed.
“He has very big hands. But he’s taken it with him.”
The young athlete leaves his Allora home, where trains on a home-made discus circle this week, and will fly on to Florida before heading down to Rio for the games (his Olympic debut).
However, he is no stranger to international competition, impressing as a junior winning the IAAF world youth title in 2013 followed by fourth in 2014 IAAF world juniors and a silver medal at the Universiade in 2015.
