- Matthew Denny has earned a bronze medal in the discus final
- The 28-year-old Australian hails from Allora, a quaint town in Queensland
- He aims to compete in the LA Olympics (2028) and Brisbane Olympics (2032)
Matthew Denny, who has clinched an Olympic bronze medal, shared how a television advertisement motivated him to achieve a podium spot in Paris.
The Australian discus athlete, aged 28, recorded a throw of 69.31 meters in the final, placing third behind Jamaica’s Roge Stona (70.00m) and Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna (69.97m).
In an interview with Channel Nine, Denny expressed exhilaration over his top-three achievement and reminisced about his roots.
Having grown up in Allora, a quaint country town in Queensland about 60 km south of Toowoomba, Denny is a well-respected figure in his community, a sentiment beautifully captured in a Qantas advertisement frequently aired during the Paris Games.
‘Ahead of this competition, I felt compelled to revisit the [Qantas Olympic] ad … I wanted to connect with the people [of Allora], the ones I represent,’ he reflected, tears welling in his eyes.
‘Their unwavering support has always been significant to me … I am immensely pleased to leave here with a medal.’
‘I’m just trying to absorb everything.’
As he competed before 80,000 spectators at Stade de France, Denny shared that he felt a wave of tranquility as he envisioned himself back in Allora.
Aussie Olympian Matthew Denny has revealed how a television commercial that he featured in inspired him to a podium finish in Paris
Denny grew up in Allora, a small country town located 60km outside Toowoomba in Queensland – with him and other locals featured in a Qantas commercial (pictured) that helped motivate him to excel in France
Denny also confirmed he will work towards the Los Angeles Games in 2028 – and then the Brisbane Olympics on home soil four years later
‘At home, I see three trees and a cubby house,’ he remarked. ‘That’s my focus.’
‘I visualize hitting the cubby house, which is marked at 85m … it would have been incredible to make that throw.’
‘For me, throwing in Allora provides a distinct sense of freedom.’
Denny confirmed his intentions to prepare for the Los Angeles Games in 2028, followed by the Brisbane Olympics on Australian soil four years later.
‘There remains so much potential for improvement,’ he acknowledged.
‘But I hold no regrets regarding the bronze medal….it’s now part of history, marking the greatest Olympic men’s discus final ever.
‘This event has established a new benchmark for what can be achieved….and we (the team) gave it one of the most memorable performances you could imagine.’
