ATHLETICS: Allora athlete Matthew Denny battled rain and a slippery throwing circle to almost throw two Commonwealth Games A qualifiers in the Queensland Open Athletics Championships at the State Athletics Facility in Brisbane at the weekend.

Coach Grahame Pitt was delighted with Denny's distances in both discus and hammer.

"It was a good hit-out in his first competition for the season and Matthew beat one of his toughest competitors in discus,” Pitt said.

"In the wet conditions, Matthew and I were pretty happy to be just below A qualifiers. The last thing you want in discus and hammer is a slippery throwing circle.”

Denny already has A qualifiers for the Commonwealth Games in both throws but has to perform well at the nationals, which start late next week to make the team for the April 4-15 games at the Gold Coast.

In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Denny threw 61.16m, a distance that would have put him third in the commonwealth and going on last year's results at the nationals, he is odds on to be in the team.

Pitt has no doubt Denny had the potential to win medals at the games.

"He is a medal chance in both his events,” Pitt said.

"It is impossible to gauge where he sits in rankings as we don't know who is turning up. Australia has a track and field team of 88 whereas South Africa will send 18.

"Canada is also sending a small team, some countries are only sending athletes they rate as medal chances.”

At the state championships, Denny won gold in the hammer with a throw of 72.65m. Denny threw 61.07m to win discus.