Aida Dahlen: Table Tennis
Born in Bosnia-Herzegovina shortly before the Bosnian War broke out in 1992, Aida Dahlen was adopted by a Norwegian family at the age of 6. Dahlen was born without a left forearm and with a left leg amputated at the knee. As a teenager, Dahlen struggled with sports that involved a lot of running, such as soccer and handball, so a friend suggested she try table tennis. This suggestion would lead her all the way to the Paralympic Summer Games in London in 2012. Dahlen trains alongside able-bodied athletes in her home country upwards of 30 hours per week. She is also studying for a degree at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences.
Sources:
» International Table Tennis Federation. "No Language Barriers for Aida Dahlen, Every Hurdle Overcome in Fluent Style." http://www.ittf.com/_front_page/ittf_full_story1.asp?ID=25299&Category