| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Arj, Duracell | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 November 1981 Tirana, Albania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  Italy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Paralympic athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability | Retinitis pigmentosa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | T11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 metres 200 metres Long jump | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Fiamme Azzurre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Partner | Emanuele Di Marino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Arjola Dedaj (born 26 November 1981 in Tirana, Albania) is a blind Italian Paralympic athlete who competes in sprinting and long jump events in international level events. [1]
Dedaj was born in Albania, she was discriminated by her visual impairment which she has had since the age of three years old because there were no schools in Albania that could provide her an education. She immigrated to Italy in a rubber dinghy in 1998 along with her father and brother to join her mother who was in Milan. [2] [3]
She and her partner Emanuele Di Marino, who is her training partner and also participates in Paralympic track and field events are referred to as "La coppia dei sogni" ("the dream couple" in Italian). [4]
