Matt Denny Targets First World Championships Medal in Tokyo Showdown

Posted : 17 September 2025

Australian discus thrower Matt Denny is eyeing his first world championships medal this weekend in Tokyo, where he will compete against world record holder Mykolas Alekna. The two athletes, fierce competitors on the field but friends away from it, have developed a unique relationship built on respect and camaraderie. “We’re vicious competitors and there’s banter – but not vicious in tongue,” Denny said, noting how the pair have even shared beers together after competitions.

The rivalry between Denny and Alekna intensified earlier this year at the “Throw Town” meet in Ramona, Oklahoma, where Alekna broke his own world record with a throw of 75.56m. Denny followed closely with a personal best of 74.78m, highlighting just how close the two have become in pushing the limits of the sport. While discus records are not restricted by wind assistance, the exceptional conditions in Oklahoma raised some eyebrows, though the performances stood as career-defining moments for both athletes.

Denny, 29, enters Tokyo with renewed confidence after securing Olympic bronze in Paris last year, where Alekna claimed silver behind Jamaica’s Roje Stona. Alekna, still only 22, already boasts two world championship medals and comes from a family deeply rooted in discus history, with his father Virgilijus a two-time Olympic champion. Denny has long admired Alekna’s lineage, calling it a privilege to now compete against the son of one of his idols.

Raised in rural Queensland as one of eight siblings, Denny’s journey began on a small farm where he practiced by hurling a discus at a cubby house. His hometown of Allora, with just over a thousand residents, has supported him since his early days, even crowdfunding to help him reach the Rio Olympics in 2016. After narrowly missing the podium in Tokyo 2021, Denny finally broke through at the Paris Games, a moment that brought both relief and joy.

Though his results have been less explosive since his record-setting performance in Oklahoma, Denny remains focused on peaking when it matters most. “We want to be world champions, not good in the middle of the season,” he said, emphasizing his calm and readiness. With a medal finally in his sights, Denny is prepared to give everything on the biggest stage.

Matt Denny Targets First World Championships Medal in Tokyo Showdown

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