Afghan cyclist who disguised herself as a man wins Asian Games silver

Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi, known for disguising herself as a man to pursue her passion, secured a silver medal in the women's road race at the Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The 23-year-old athlete triumphed in the road race final at the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course in Aichi Prefecture on Tuesday, finishing second.

China's Guo Li claimed gold, while Hong Kong's Leung Wing Yee secured bronze. Hashimi's silver medal came after she finished seventh in the women's individual time trial two days prior. Her journey to the podium has been marked by the dangers she faced while practicing cycling in Afghanistan. She began cycling at age 15, following her older sister Yulduz, but had to disguise herself as a man to avoid attacks and threats.

Hashimi's account of being targeted includes people throwing stones and bottles at her, aiming to force her to quit. She eventually fled Afghanistan after the Taliban's return to power in 2021 and now resides in Italy, where she and her sister continued their cycling careers. Hashimi participates in international competitions not just for personal achievements but to showcase that women like her can compete despite the challenges.

She expressed hope that future Afghan women would be able to participate internationally without the obstacles she faced.