Fariba Hashimi wins Asian Games silver after disguising herself to flee Taliban

Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan cyclist who once disguised herself as a man to continue training, won the silver medal in the women’s road race at the Asian Games near Nagoya on Tuesday and said she hoped the result would inspire other women in Afghanistan.

Hashimi, 23, is based in Italy after leaving Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power; she comes from Faryab province and relocated with help from Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto. She and her sister Yulduz, who is also now a professional cyclist, competed at the Paris Olympics two years ago.

Hashimi crossed the line in second place in the women’s road race, calling the result “something special.” “I can’t explain my feelings now,” she said.

She described the early years of her cycling career as dangerous, saying she was attacked with stones and trained disguised as a man when she started out as a teenager alongside her sister Yulduz. “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 report noted that the Taliban authorities returned to power in 2021 and have since imposed rules restricting women’s access to education and public life, including sport. “They took away our freedom, they took away everything from us,” Hashimi said. “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.”

Hashimi said her team arrived at the Games with minimal support and thanked the Japanese squad for assistance on race day. “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, fixed my bike.”

The 2028 Los Angeles Games are now looming into view and Hashimi expressed her determination to continue. “I never want to give up and hopefully we can see [what can happen] again in Los Angeles,” she said.