Afghan cyclist who disguised as man wins Asian Games silver

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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.

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Hashimi finished second in the road race final at the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course in Aichi Prefecture on Tuesday, according to Amu TV.

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China’s Guo Li won the gold medal, while Leung Wing Yee of Hong Kong took bronze.

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The silver came two days after Hashimi finished seventh in the women’s individual time trial, where she competed against 14 riders.

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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.

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Hashimi’s journey to the Asian Games podium has been marked by the dangers she faced while pursuing cycling in Afghanistan.

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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.

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“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.

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She also told Reuters that stones and bottles were thrown at her while she and her sister trained.

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“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.

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Hashimi fled Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and is now based in Italy.

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Afghan women and girls have faced sweeping restrictions on education, employment, movement and participation in public life.

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Hashimi moved to Italy, where she and Yulduz continued their careers. The sisters subsequently represented Afghanistan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Reuters reported.

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Reflecting on her experience, Hashimi said her participation was about more than her individual performance.

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“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.

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Hashimi had also expressed hope that Afghan girls would one day be able to pursue their ambitions and compete internationally from inside the country.

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“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.

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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.

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