Afghan cyclist who escaped Taliban wins Asian Games silver medal

An Afghan cyclist who disguised herself as a man to pursue her sporting dreams has won an Asian Games silver medal, hoping it inspires other women in a country where Taliban authorities have sharply curtailed their freedoms.

Italy-based Fariba Hashimi powered home second in the women’s road race near Nagoya in Japan on Tuesday, calling the triumph “something special”.

“I can’t explain my feelings now,” said the 23-year-old, before reflecting on how she was attacked with stones and trained disguised as a man when she started out in the sport as a teenager, along with her sister Yulduz, who is also now a pro cyclist.

“I was born inside a country where the women who dream are getting attacked, and I’m really happy that I have fought against that,” she said.

“I hope that the next generation will come here and represent their country without any fear.”

The Taliban authorities returned to power in 2021 and have since imposed a series of rules limiting women’s access to education and public life, including sport.

“They took away our freedom, they took away everything from us,” said Hashimi, who hails from Faryab province in northern Afghanistan and left the country after the Taliban authorities took over.

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

“I’m not alone; I know that behind me millions of women, from many countries, have the same dream and they are standing with me.”

After fleeing Afghanistan with the help of Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto, Hashimi relocated to Italy, where she now lives and trains.

She and her sister competed at the Paris Olympics two years ago, and the 2028 Los Angeles Games are now looming into view.

“I never want to give up, and hopefully we can see [what can happen] again in Los Angeles,” she said.

Hashimi reserved a special thanks for the Japanese team for playing a part in her silver medal.

“I’m here without a mechanic, without any preparation. We brought one guy with us from the national federation, and he just drove the car,” she said.

“We were fixing the bike ourselves. I was the mechanic for myself. I was washing the bike myself.

“Thank you to the Japanese team. They were really, really nice to me [and] fixed my bike.”