From disguise to cycling elite, no backpedalling for Afghan Hashimi

Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan cyclist who fled her homeland after the Taliban's return in 2021 and now resides in Italy, found profound personal significance in securing a seventh-place finish in the women's individual time trial at the Asian Games. The 23-year-old Hashimi, now living in Italy, hopes her journey will serve as an inspiration to others back home, despite the UNESCO estimate that 2.4 million Afghan girls have been denied secondary education since the Taliban's regime.

Hashimi expressed her desire to demonstrate that a woman in her situation can still persevere, stating, "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. 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."

Hashimi began cycling at the age of 15, following in the footsteps of her sister Yulduz, also an international cyclist. However, the path was fraught with danger, as Hashimi had to disguise herself as a man to attend training sessions, adopting multiple masks to avoid recognition and potential attacks. She recounted instances of being threatened with stones, bottles, and aggressive behavior from those who sought to dissuade her from pursuing the sport.

Thanks to the guidance of 1997 road cycling world champion Alessandra Cappellotto, Hashimi relocated to Italy, where both sisters competed in the Paris Olympics two years ago. Despite her current location, Hashimi expressed her longing to return to her homeland, emphasizing, "I haven't seen my family for such a long time. I escaped from the stones of the people.

In the future, I'm really hoping to change some things inside my country. It is my big dream to come back and inspire my people."