Defending Commonwealth Games discus champion Matt Denny has significantly reduced his weight ahead of this year’s competition in Glasgow, shedding 17 kilograms to adopt a leaner physique. The 30-year-old, who weighed 147 kg at last year’s World Championships where he placed fourth, will enter Saturday’s discus final weighing 130 kg.

Denny credits a combination of disciplined diet and intensified circuit training for the transformation. His dietary approach emphasizes simplicity and consistency, focusing on chicken, rice, and vegetables, with smaller portion sizes and fewer indulgences such as wine. “It’s just being boring,” he explained, highlighting the focus on routine rather than drastic changes.

In addition to dietary adjustments, Denny increased the intensity of his circuit training during the offseason, pushing himself to near-max heart rates during 15- to 20-minute high-intensity sessions. “You have to flick the psycho switch and go over your threshold and your max heart rate,” he said, recalling heart rate peaks around 198 beats per minute. While the training was mentally and physically taxing, he said it played a key role in his weight loss.

Denny, who stands 189 cm tall and became a father in December, said his focus on weight reduction was partly motivated by long-term health considerations. Reflecting on his previous heaviest competitive weight, 147 kg, he acknowledged the physical strain it entailed. “The big man tax is a thing a lot of people know,” he said. He noted that the current weight is the lightest he has been since 2018 and indicated plans to continue reducing to approximately 120 kg after the current season.

Despite the changes in physique and training, Denny admitted that competition results so far this year have been inconsistent. He feels his fitness is better than ever, but acknowledged that translating training performance into competition results remains a challenge. “In comps it just seems to get too tight and too forced,” he said. However, he remains optimistic following recent adjustments to his training regime and is looking forward to competing at the Commonwealth Games.

The men’s discus final is scheduled for Saturday at 8:50 p.m.