Jessica Stenson
The Australian marathon runner with insights to succeed in life
Born and raised in South Australia, Jessica Stenson shares her family’s love of sports. She competed in a wide variety of sports throughout her youth, and quickly made a name for herself in distance running with victories at the Adelaide’s City Bay Fun Run, Australian Cross Country Championships, the Melbourne Half Marathon and Sydney’s iconic City2Surf.
Jessica took her career overseas in 2012 when she broke the record for the fastest ever debut at the Nagoya Marathon. Clocking in at 2:31:02, she finished with nearly a full minute under the A-Qualifying standard and secured her place in the Australian Olympic Team. At the London 2012 Olympic Games, she placed 39th in her second ever marathon.
With her determination and her rapid progression, Jessica took home the bronze medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, and placed 21st in the Rio Olympics marathon.
Between 2014 and 2016, Jessica faced injury complications that taught her about the importance of resilience as an athlete. She was determined not to give up, and picked up more effective training and recovery methods to succeed as a runner. By 2017, she set a new personal record of 2:27.01 in the 2017 London Marathon. She also placed 9th in the 2017 IAAF World Championships, cementing her legacy as the highest ever placing runner by an Australian female in a World Championship Marathon.
Jessica continues to reach new heights in her career, having won her second consecutive Commonwealth Games Bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In 2022, she brought home Gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, a huge accomplishment for her and Australia.
She also has experience in business and entrepreneurship, having collaborated with her husband and her brother on a new business venture to sell Rundies (sports underwear).
Drawing on her sporting experiences, Jessica employs her extensive physiotherapy knowledge to inspire active and healthy lifestyles. She connected with audiences across the country by sharing countless anecdotes about her life as an Australian runner, offering the key life lessons that helped her succeed in her professional life.