Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi, who once pretended to be a man in order to keep cycling in Afghanistan, has claimed a silver medal in the women’s road race at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
According to Amu TV, Hashimi placed second in the road race final held Tuesday at the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course in Aichi Prefecture.
China’s Guo Li claimed the gold, with Leung Wing Yee of Hong Kong earning bronze.
Her silver medal came just two days after Hashimi placed seventh in the women’s individual time trial, a race in which she faced 14 competitors.
Amu TV reported that the 23-year-old finished the 24.2-kilometer time-trial course two minutes and three seconds behind Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova, the event winner.
Hashimi’s path to the Asian Games podium has been defined by the risks she took while cycling in Afghanistan.
Reuters reports that Hashimi took up cycling at 15, inspired by her sister Yulduz, but was forced to pose as a man to train in her home province of Faryab.
“I always dressed as a man to go to training, wearing two or three different masks so people would not recognize or attack me. I was scared of them finding me,” Reuters quoted Hashimi as saying.
The Afghan told Reuters that while she and her sister were training, stones and bottles were hurled at her.
“I sometimes had a big stone thrown at my head. People were throwing bottles at me. They were trying to make us go home by being aggressive and attacking us,” she said.
After the Taliban regained control in 2021, Hashimi left Afghanistan and now resides in Italy.
Women and girls in Afghanistan have encountered extensive limitations on their education, work, freedom of movement, and involvement in public life.
Hashimi relocated to Italy, where both she and Yulduz went on with their careers.↻ According to Reuters, the sisters went on to represent Afghanistan at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Looking back on her journey, Hashimi remarked that her participation meant more than just her own performance.
“For me it’s not just about my performance but about showing my country a woman in this situation. We are still alive and still fighting,” she said.
Hashimi had also voiced hope that one day Afghan girls would be able to follow their ambitions and compete internationally from within the country.
“I hope something can change so the next generation can come from inside of the country to compete at the Asian Games, exploring the world and winning medals,” she said.
Hashimi’s silver medal in the road race is Afghanistan’s latest achievement at the Asian Games, following her seventh-place finish in the individual time trial.
