“When I was growing up I wanted to give the Discus a go but I finished last in the State in Grade 8 at the age of 13 and so asked my mum if I could get some coaching,” says Wynnum-based Matt Denny, who went on to become one of the greatest Discus throwers the world has ever seen.
“My mum thought I’d only want one lesson. I was always playing multiple sports including swimming and footy, and loved competing with my older brothers,” says Denny.
Growing up in Allora and attending Toowoomba Grammar, Denny has put together an extraordinary career. In 2024, he put together the greatest series of throws of all time, averaging 72.72m; grabbed a Bronze in the Paris Olympics; and also won the prestigious Diamond League Final. The heartbreak of finishing 4th in the last two World Championships and the Tokyo Olympics has only made him more determined to keep bringing home the bacon.
“So at the age of 13, I started training with Graham Pitt, who had previously coached an Olympian Discus thrower, and I went from last in the state to second in the country within three months.”
This extraordinary jetison turned into Matt’s epicentre as Pitt continued to train Denny until he was 22, through a first world Youth title in Donetsk, Ukraine –sadly, the stadium was destroyed three months after — whilst in Year 11 at Toowoomba Grammar. An anonymous donor connected with the school threw financial support behind Matt that enabled him to compete in that first major international event.
“Toowoomba Grammar were really great to me. I was a boarder but I would be away competing in Brisbane mainly at weekends. The school allowed me to pursue Athletics at a crucial development time without the academic side getting too high pressure. And now, I have a Business Degree with a Double Masters from Griffith Uni.”
Matt is an ambassador for Coles in their support and sponsorship of LIttle Athletics, and he’s delighted to be unveiling and christening a new discus cage that was made possible thanks to a $1,900 Coles grant the club received as part of this year’s grant program.
Denny will be at the Souths Little Athletics Club in Yeronga this Saturday, 22 November, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., on behalf of the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund.
Cages enable junior Discus throwers to trust the training process without worrying about the obvious dangers. Denny says, “It’s really important that throwers, officials, parents and teachers in the juniors establish eye contact before the throw is taken. Everyone needs to be aware in that fairly narrow landing zone, but I’ll never forget the poor parent who was hit clean in the jaw during my junior days from 45 metres out.”
Published 21-Nov-2025
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