Australian discus champion Matt Denny began his Diamond League title defence with an impressive victory in Doha on Saturday morning (AEST). The Paris 2024 bronze medallist set the tone with a leading throw of 67.33 metres in the opening round, eventually sealing his win with a final-round effort of 68.97 metres. Both of these throws surpassed the top marks of his competitors: Sweden’s Daniel Stahl, who finished second with a best of 67.06 metres, and Slovenia’s Kristjan Ceh in third with 66.92 metres.
Denny’s triumph is particularly notable given that he was up against formidable throwers—Stahl, an Olympic gold medalist from the Tokyo 2021 Games, and Ceh, who claimed the world champion title in Eugene, Oregon in 2022. This win further highlights Denny’s status as a leading athlete in the sport. Following his victory, the Queenslander shared a heartfelt message on Instagram: “Workin’ hard and throwing harder. For Dad.”
Originating from the small town of Allora, Denny captured his first global medal in Paris last year, shortly before the passing of his father, John, three months later. Reflecting on his recent win, Denny expressed his satisfaction, stating, “I was very happy out there tonight. The goal at the moment is doing whatever is required to win.” He acknowledged the challenges of competing after a heavy training load and the unique pressure of leading the final round. Despite these challenges, he managed to achieve his best throw of the night.
Denny aims for his third consecutive Diamond League title, having previously won the finals in Eugene in 2023 and Brussels in 2022. Australia’s representation in Doha also included Cara Feain-Ryan, who placed 12th in the women’s 3000-metre steeplechase with a time of 9:38.07. The event saw Kenya’s Faith Cherotich emerge victorious, finishing in 9:05.08, narrowly beating Bahrain’s Winfred Yavi at 9:05.26, while Ethiopia’s Sembo Almayew secured third place in 9:09.27.
Looking ahead, the Diamond League series will continue with its next event in Rabat, Morocco, on May 26 (AEST).