Afghan Cyclist Who Dressed as a Man to Avoid Taliban Wins Silver Medal at Asian Games
Hashimi finished in 2 hours, 50 minutes, 5 seconds and said the medal shows resilience for Afghan women under Taliban restrictions.
- On Tuesday, 23-year-old Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi won silver in the women's road race at the Asian Games near Nagoya, Japan, finishing in 2 hours, 50 minutes, 5 seconds.
- To evade Taliban-era restrictions in her home province of Faryab, Hashimi previously trained in Afghanistan by disguising herself as a man, wearing multiple masks to avoid recognition and attacks while cycling.
- Since fleeing Afghanistan in 2021, Hashimi has trained in Italy under former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto and competed at the Asian Games without a dedicated mechanic, personally maintaining her own bicycle throughout the event.
- Becoming Afghanistan's first female medalist at the Asian Games since 2002, Hashimi described the achievement as "something special," stating, "This silver medal can show a lot of resilience from Afghan women, and I'm really happy."
- Hashimi and her sister Yulduz, also a cyclist, competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics and are targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Games, hoping to inspire the next generation to represent their country without fear.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Afghanistan Cyclist Fariba Hashimi, Who Disguised As A Boy To Train, Wins Asian Games Silver
Fariba Hashimi won silver in the women’s cycling road race at the Asian Games on Tuesday, finishing in 2 hours, 50 minutes, 5 seconds. The Afghan cyclist, who fled Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban takeover, said she had trained in disguise as a man to avoid abuse and attack
Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi who disguised herself as man wins Asian Games silver
Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi won a silver medal in the women's road race at the Asian Games near Nagoya, Japan, after overcoming restrictions on women in Afghanistan and leaving the country following the Taliban's return to power in 2021. Hashimi, who once trained disguised as a man, said she hoped her medal would inspire Afghan women and future generations to pursue their dreams without fear.
Fariba Hashimi had it easy winning the silver medal in the women's road cycling race at the Asian Games. What was nearly impossible for the Afghan cyclist was training in her own country. To do so, she dressed as a man in a country where women have few rights.
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