Stenson and Didyk: 12 Years and Going Strong

Marathon runner Jessica Stenson has conquered more than most in the sport of athletics, with Olympic Games appearances, Commonwealth Games medals and a top 10 finish in the World Championships all to her name - but she says it all stemmed from a conversation with coach Adam Didyk in 2008. 

Stenson’s running journey began in her home town of Naracoorte, South Australia and was sparked by the highly supportive environment her primary school provided when it came to athletics. 

Whilst enjoying her junior years in the sport, it was only after she relocated to Adelaide in Year 10, that she met Roger Pedrick at Hills District Athletics Club and really started to flourish.

“Roger would pick me up from the boarding house twice a week,” she said. 

“I am really grateful for the commitment he made to help me keep training through school.” 

After a successful stint as a junior, Stenson admits she was not making life decisions that “aligned with someone who was trying to head to the Olympics,” which included playing netball and socialising with university friends. 

The resignation of Pedrick also left Stenson looking for a new coach.  

Now the National Event Lead - Distance at Athletics Australia, Adam Didyk was back then a bold choice. He had never coached anyone, let alone an elite athlete, but his vision for Stenson was clear from day one. 

“When Adam took over in 2008 he really encouraged me to write down some big goals which I was really hesitant to do because I thought writing down that I wanted to make an Olympic team was really unrealistic, even though it was a childhood dream of mine,” she said. 

Whilst Stenson worked tirelessly on the track, Didyk toiled relentlessly behind the scenes to ensure that no stone was left unturned. 

“Adam said he was going to learn from as many people as he could, so he was contacting Shaun Creighton and Chris Wardlaw, getting advice from Steve Moneghetti so that he could put together the best program for me,” she said. 

Three years into their collaboration, Stenson’s lifetime goal of making the Olympics loomed as an immediate possibility, with the pair ramping up her marathon training. 

Stenson’s marathon debut in Japan saw her crush the Olympic A-Qualifying standard by a full minute, securing the Australian an Olympic berth. 

A time of 2:31:17 in the 2012 London Olympics in only her second ever marathon placed Stenson in 39th position and proved the great potential she had in the event. 

“Referring back to the training and knowing that so many people had an input in my program and that my coach was so open minded was really an important part of that,” she said. 

This early success sparked a 12-year partnership between Stenson and Didyk, and one that is far from over with many kilometres on the roads still ahead for the 33-year-old. 

“History together as an athlete and a coach is something that you can’t fast track or money can’t buy, it’s just something that develops over the years and it’s really special,” she said. 

“Adam understanding me and what makes me tick has been really valuable, particularly when it came to me starting a family.

“It was so nice that he understands my values and is so willing to support me in my life, which has really helped me to get back into running after giving birth.” 

And Stenson is not alone in receiving this support, with Didyk heading up Adelaide’s premier distance squad ‘TeamTempo’ - who are well and truly on the rise. 

The endurance machine believes that Didyk’s greatest assets are his ability to prepare his athletes for every element of competition and his eagerness to connect with them on a personal level. 

“He’s so good at understanding his athletes lives on a greater scale than just knowing about how they felt in a session,” she said.

It’s that connection built on loyalty and trust that Stenson says gives her confidence on the world stage. 

“If you can’t feel that intrinsic belief then I think it’s hard to have confidence in what you do,” she said. 

Stenson has provided Australian athletics fans with something to cheer about for over a decade and seems destined to continue to do so in the years to come - a feat that would not have been possible without the guidance of Adam Didyk. 

“I thank Adam for believing in me and encouraging me to pursue this path because it’s brought me so many incredible life experiences,” she said. 

“Without him just nudging me in 2008 and creating that vision for me, my life would be very different.” 

By Lachlan Moorhouse
Posted: 10/11/2020