Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi, who once disguised herself as a man to pursue cycling in Afghanistan, has won a silver medal in the women’s road race at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
Hashimi finished second in the road race final at the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course in Aichi Prefecture on Tuesday, according to Amu TV.
China’s Guo Li won the gold medal, while Leung Wing Yee of Hong Kong took bronze.
The silver came two days after Hashimi finished seventh in the women’s individual time trial, where she competed against 14 riders.
The 23-year-old completed the 24.2-kilometre time-trial course two minutes and three seconds behind Kazakhstan’s Rinata Sultanova, who won the event, Amu TV reported.
Hashimi’s journey to the Asian Games podium has been marked by the dangers she faced while pursuing cycling in Afghanistan.
According to Reuters, Hashimi began cycling at 15 after following her sister, Yulduz, into the sport, but had to disguise herself as a man to attend training 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 recognise or attack me. I was scared of them finding me,” Reuters quoted Hashimi as saying.
She also told Reuters that stones and bottles were thrown at her while she and her sister trained.
“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.
Hashimi fled Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and is now based in Italy.
Afghan women and girls have faced sweeping restrictions on education, employment, movement and participation in public life.
Hashimi moved to Italy, where she and Yulduz continued their careers. The sisters subsequently represented Afghanistan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Reuters reported.
Reflecting on her experience, Hashimi said her participation was about more than her individual performance.
“For me it’s not just about my performance but showing my country a woman in this situation. We are still alive and still fighting,” she said.
Hashimi had also expressed hope that Afghan girls would one day be able to pursue their ambitions and compete internationally from inside 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.
Source: punchng.com
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