2026 Asian Games: Rough road: Afghan bicyclist overcomes authorities for silver

An Afghan cyclist who had to disguise herself as a man to pursue her sporting dreams won a silver medal at the Asian Games yesterday, saying she hoped it could inspire other women in a country where Taliban authorities have sharply curtailed their freedoms.

Italy-based Fariba Hashimi powered home to second in the women’s road race near Nagoya, calling the triumph “something special.”

“I can’t explain my feelings now,” said the 23-year-old, before recounting how she was attacked with stones and trained disguised as a man when she got started in the sport as a teenager along with sister Yulduz, who is also now a pro cyclist.

Afghanistan’s Fariba Hashimi stands on the podium after receiving the silver medal in the road race.

Photo: Reuters

“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 Taliban returned to power in 2021 after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and severely restricted women’s access to education and public life, including sport.

“They took away our freedom, they took away everything from us,” said Hashimi, who comes from Faryab province in northern Afghanistan and left the country after the Taliban took over. “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,” she added.

After fleeing Afghanistan with the help of Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto, Hashimi relocated to Italy, where she lives and trains.

She and her sister competed at the Paris Olympics two years ago, and the 2028 Los Angeles Games are drawing closer.

“I never want to give up and hopefully we can see [what can happen] again in Los Angeles,” she said.

Hashimi particularly thanked the Japanese team for playing a part in her silver medal.

“I’m here without a mechanic, without any preparation,” she said. “We brought one guy with us from the national federation, and he just drove the car.”

“We were fixing the bike ourselves. I was the mechanic for myself. I was washing the bike myself,” Hashimi said. “Thank you to the Japanese team. They were really, really nice to me, fixed my bike.”