Matt Denny has channelled visions of the country Queensland circle where he learnt to throw a discus to claim a historic bronze in the sport’s greatest Olympic final in Paris.

The 28-year-old (69.31 metres) broke his fourth-place curse, going within a whisker of his personal best to finish third. 

Jamaica’s surprise winner Roge Stona (70m) shocked Lithuanian world champion Mykolas Alekna (69.97), both men breaking the 20-year-old Games record.

The effort would have won the Australian gold at the last four Games, Alekna’s father Virgilijus’s 2004 mark broken by his own son before the Jamaican came from the clouds to trump them all.

Denny’s bronze is the first for an Australian in the event and came after he missed the podium by 5cm in Tokyo. 

He also boasts a fourth and two sixths in the last three world championships.

In front of 80,000 at Stade de France, Denny said he felt a sense of calm as he pictured himself back home in Allora, a town of barely 1000 people south of Toowoomba.

“At home there’s three trees and a cubby house,” he said.

“That’s all I’m seeing.

“Just trying to see the cubby house and hit it, ’cause it’s out at 85m … so it would have been nice to hit it today.

“When I throw in Allora it’s somehow a different throw, it’s freedom.”

He shed joyful tears for his father who had remained in Australia due to health issues and his hundreds of supporters who have gone the journey with him, Denny promising more at Los Angeles’ and Brisbane’s Games to come.

“There still is so much there … always so close and it was that again today,” he said.

“But no regrets … it’s part of history, that’s the greatest Olympic men’s discus final ever.

“Every day I’ve woken up thinking 68, 69 (metres) isn’t enough any more.

“It’s setting a new standard for what’s possible.

“Everyone’s looking around and today proved that, with Roje.”

Denny briefly led with his second effort before the gold and silver medallists extended the mark.

A 69.15 with his fifth throw, like his second, didn’t feel quite right.

“I missed it. I know when I’ve absolutely drilled it and I didn’t do that today,” he said.

“I knew what the throw needed to feel like, just didn’t line up … just off.”

But inevitably it was enough for him to avoid another dreaded fourth.

“I wasn’t walking in thinking, ‘Please, dear god, not another fourth’,” he said.

“I was in like, ‘We’re going to win this’.

“And we gave it one of the best cracks you’ll ever see.”