Afghan cyclist wins silver at Asian Games

Fariba Hashimi, 23, earned a silver medal in the women's road race near Nagoya, Japan on Tuesday, following a seventh-place finish in the individual time trial on Sunday.

She trained disguised as a man

Before fleeing Afghanistan in 2021, Hashimi dressed as a man and wore multiple masks to training to avoid being attacked in her home province of Faryab, where women face severe restrictions.

“I always dressed as a man to go to training, wearing two or three different masks so people would not recognise or attack me.”

Taliban takeover forced her to flee

When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Hashimi left Afghanistan. She now lives and trains in Italy with support from Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto.

“The Taliban took away our freedom.”

Her sister also became a cyclist

Hashimi followed her sister Yulduz into cycling at age 15 despite the dangers in their home province. Both sisters competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Medal shows Afghan women's resilience

Hashimi says her silver medal demonstrates the strength of Afghan women and hopes it inspires the next generation to pursue their dreams without fear.

“This silver medal can show a lot of resilience from Afghan women, and I'm really happy.”

Eyes set on Los Angeles 2028

Hashimi and her sister are now targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, determined to continue competing and representing their country on the world stage.

“I never want to give up.”