An Afghan cyclist who disguised herself as a man to achieve sporting goals won a silver medal at the Asian Games on Tuesday. Her victory is intended to inspire other women in a country where Taliban authorities have significantly restricted their freedoms.
Fariba Hashimi, based in Italy, took second place in the women's road cycling race near Nagoya, Japan, calling the triumph 'something special.'
The 23-year-old athlete shared her feelings, mentioning that at the beginning of her sports career, as a teenager, she trained pretending to be a man, along with her sister Yulduz, who is also a professional cyclist. She recounted facing attacks with stones.
Hashimi stated: 'I was born in a country where aspiring women are attacked, and I am very glad that I fought against this.' She expressed hope that the next generation will be able to represent their country without fear.
After the Taliban authorities regained power in 2021, they introduced a number of rules restricting women's access to education and public life, including sports. Hashimi, originally from the Faryab province in northern Afghanistan, left the country after the Taliban takeover. She emphasized that her silver medal demonstrates the resilience of Afghan women and noted that she is not alone in her aspirations, knowing that millions of women from different countries share her dream.
After fleeing Afghanistan with the help of Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto, Hashimi moved to Italy, where she currently lives and trains. She and her sister participated in the Paris Olympics two years ago, and now the Los Angeles games in 2028 are approaching.
Hashimi thanked the Japanese team for their contribution to her silver medal, noting that she competed without a mechanic or any preparation, relying only on one person from the national federation who drove the car. She herself performed the role of mechanic, cleaning the bicycle.