Australian discus thrower Matt Denny (© Getty Images)
Four days after breaking the 70-metre barrier for the first time in his career, Australia’s Matt Denny came close to breaking the world record at the Oklahoma Throws Series in Ramona on Thursday (10).
The Olympic bronze medallist – competing at the same facility where Mykolas Alekna broke the world record last year, and where Denny himself threw 72.07m last weekend – sent his discus beyond the 70-metre line with all six throws in a competition where three men threw beyond 70 metres and six beyond 68 metres.
Denny opened with 71.03m, then set a PB of 73.46m in round two. His best throw came in the third round as his discus landed at an Oceanian record of 74.25m, just 10cm shy of Alekna’s world record and moving Denny to second on the world all-time list.
He rounded out his series with throws of 72.93m, 71.14m and 73.56m. USA’s Sam Mattis was second with 70.08m, just three centimetres ahead of Germany’s Mika Sosna.
Alida van Daalen of the Netherlands won the women’s discus with 65.11m.
Denny will be back in action in Ramona on Sunday in a competition where he’ll take on world record-holder Alekna. Two-time Olympic champion Valarie Allman headlines the women’s contest.
