Athletics-Discus inferno: Australia's Denny eyes Tokyo throwdown with world record holder Alekna

FILE PHOTO: Athletics - Diamond League - Final - Zurich - Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland - August 28, 2025 Australia's Matthew Denny in action during the Men's Discus Throw Final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth/File Photo

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Australian discus king Matt Denny is chasing his first world championships medal in Tokyo and will do it alongside the man he regards as both the benchmark and a drinking buddy: world record holder Mykolas Alekna.

Denny and the 22-year-old Lithuanian took the sport to new heights with the benefit of tailwinds at an event in Ramona, Oklahoma, in April and will battle again at Tokyo National Stadium this weekend.