Arjola Dedaj

Started: She took up athletics in 2012 with the SuperHabily club in Milan, Italy. (paralimpici.gazzetta.it, 07 Dec 2016; Athlete, 12 Aug 2014) Reason: She thought the sport was dynamic. (Athlete, 12 Aug 2014) Ambition: To win a medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (womenfitness.net, 10 Apr 2024) Awards: In December 2017 she was presented with the Collare d'Oro, which is the highest honour from the Italian National Olympic Committee [CONI]. (coni.it, 12 Dec 2017) In 2016 she received the Ambrogino d'Oro in Milan, Italy. (paralimpici.gazzetta.it, 07 Dec 2016) Additional Info: FROM ALBANIA TO ITALY She was born in Albania, but moved to Italy in 1998 at age 17. "As a child in Albania I suffered a lot. I was ashamed of being visually impaired. There were no tools, no education, or even a school in which my impairment wouldn't be an issue. I left Albania with this feeling. I arrived in Italy on a rubber dinghy with my father and my brother to join my mother in Milan. Since then a second life began for me." (alleyoop.ilsole24ore.com, 09 Aug 2018; corriere.it, 18 Feb 2014) SPORTING COUPLE She and her partner Emanuele Di Marino both represented Italy in athletics at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. "Together we will pursue our dreams with training, sacrifice, determination, the support of each other even in difficult times, and the fact that we both follow the same dream with the same discipline. In the end we are on the same track." (Facebook page, 14 Jun 2024; storieparalimpiche.altervista.org, 16 Nov 2016) MOTHERHOOD She gave birth to her son Leonardo in September 2018, and returned to training just one month later. "There is one extra reason now to compete and this reason is baby Leo. He is our first fan and an even greater motivation to get better, to stay focused and to fight hard." (paralympic.org, 13 Mar 2019) OCCUPATION She has worked at an insurance company in Italy as part of an integration programme to increase employment opportunities for people with an impairment. (Facebook profile, 27 May 2024; alleyoop.ilsole24ore.com, 14 Feb 2020, 09 Aug 2018)

Sporting Relatives: Her partner Emanuele Di Marino competed in athletics [T44 200m and T44 400m] at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (Facebook page, 19 Feb 2020; SportsDeskOnline, 15 Sep 2016)