Fariba Hashimi wins Asian Games silver after training in disguise

Fariba Hashimi, a 23-year-old Afghan cyclist, won the silver medal in the women's road race at the Asian Games near Nagoya, Japan on Tuesday. She says she previously trained in disguise to avoid attack while pursuing the sport in Afghanistan.

Hashimi fled Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and has described training in secret in a country where women's rights are heavily restricted. She followed her sister Yulduz, also an international cyclist, into the sport at the age of 15 despite danger in their home province of Faryab.

Hashimi secured the silver in the women's road race on Tuesday after finishing seventh in the women's individual time trial on Sunday. Describing her medal as "something special", Hashimi said she hopes it can inspire other women in Afghanistan to follow their dreams.

On earlier training in Afghanistan, Hashimi said: "I always dressed as a man to go to training, wearing two or three different masks so ‌people ⁠would not recognise or attack me," a comment she made previously to Reuters. She has also said she had to avoid stones being thrown at her whilst riding her bike.

Hashimi now lives and trains in Italy with the support of the Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto. Her sister Yulduz remains part of her sporting background and both have continued competing internationally.

Reflecting on life under the Taliban, Hashimi said the Taliban "took away our freedom". She added: "This silver medal can show a lot of resilience from Afghan women, and I'm really happy," and "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."

Hashimi and her sister competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics and are now setting their sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games; "I never want to give up," Hashimi said, "and hopefully we can see [what can happen] again in Los Angeles."