By Tania Phillips
Allora’s own bronzed Aussie Matt Denny is set to be honoured with a street parade early next month.
Three-time Olympian Denny took the bronze medal in the discus event at the Paris Olympics this past month and now his home town are set to celebrate him.
Allora Regional Sports museum head Perry Cronin said the town is planning the street parade for Friday, 4 October.
“We have started it all off and everything is locked in so we’re off and running, all we need is a fine day and a good crowd as far as I can see,” he said.
“We will start the street parade at the cricket ground and come straight down Warwick Street, turn into Herbert Street, the main street and in front of the museum there will be a presentation from the mayor and a couple of other dignitaries. Then we are having a big party over at the community hall.
“It will all start at 2pm.
“We’ve done all this before (after his fourth place in Tokyo) – exactly the same sort of thing – it will be a carbon copy of that. He’ll be in his uncle’s old Buick I’d imagine, open top. Probably his wife too, I’m not too sure, she didn’t join in until later on last time. More or less Matt on his own, we don’t want to take any gloss off him, he’s our medallist.
“It’s pretty basic but it’s a Friday afternoon so all the kids can line the route. The two schools will be involved and hopefully the young kindergarten kids will be there too. Last time we didn’t have to advertise to get a crowd because it was jammed-packed full of people, it was lovely.
“He has done us proud again. Actually, I should make a mention of Toowoomba Grammar they bring a bus load of kids down as well and do a walk right down the street. Matt went there for his senior years.”
Cronin said it will be his second visit home after the Olympics.
“He had a flying visit, but he didn’t do any socialising because he had to go straight back to Europe,” he said.
“It was just a quick, come home, kiss Australian soil and then off again, I think. I didn’t see him.
“But this will be great – a chance for him to spend a little time and see everybody.”
Though for some of those likely to line the streets, it hasn’t been long since they saw their Allora boy with a contingent of locals actually going to Paris to compete and ending up on National television as they cheered him on.
“They all got back ok – they had a great time apparently,” Cronin said.
“I talked to them, they had a wonderful time, they caught up with Matty there after he finished his competition, and it was all time for him. They had a ball I think.”
