MATTHEW Denny has started his first season in Europe with three records at a competition in Halle, Germany.

Denny, from Allora, and Toowoomba-based coach Grahame Pitt left last Wednesday for a trip to Europe which will include competitions in six countries - Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia and The Netherlands.

He had barely acclimatised to the time difference when he produced the best Queensland resident open hammer throw in history of 70.52m.

It was his first time above 70m and bettered his personal best of 69.7m.

The 70.52m throw was a new Queensland and Australian record for an under-20 thrower with the open hammer (weight 7.26kg) and also a Queensland resident record in open competition.

The throw won him bronze in an U23 hammer competition.

He won gold in U20 discus with a throw of 66.66m.

Denny, 18, now has eight Queensland records and still has six months to go as a junior.

This weekend, he will compete in open discus at Hengelo, in The Netherlands.

He is currently training in Cologne, Germany, and it will feel a bit like training at home at Allora next week after Pitt flies home.

His mother, Karen, said Matthew was pleased with his form in Germany.

One of the aims of the trip is to throw qualifying distances in discus and hammer so Denny can make the Australian team for the world championships later this year in Beijing.

He didn't throw a qualifier last weekend but said before the trip that conditions in Europe could assist him in reproducing some of his best practice throws in competition.

Last year, he threw B qualifiers for the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games but opted to concentrate on the World Juniors at the same time.

Last month, Denny won the Daily News/Warwick Credit Union Senior Sports Star of the Year award.