Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashmi wins the silver medal in the road race at the Asian Games in Japan

Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashemi won the silver medal in the road cycling race at the Asian Games held in Japan. Hashemi won the silver medal with a time of 2 hours, 50 minutes and 5 seconds, thus succeeding in achieving a new achievement in a journey that began in 2021, when she left Afghanistan.

Fariba Hashemi was still in her teens when she had to disguise herself as a man. It wasn't out of pleasure or because she felt like a man, but because she had to. Only in this way was she able to practice her passion for cycling in Afghanistan, after she had previously been pelted with stones for practicing this sport.

“The whole time I was going to train, I was wearing men’s clothes,” Hashemi said. She added that she was also keen to hide her face whenever possible so that no one would recognize her. “Sometimes when they recognized me, they would try to throw stones or assault me,” she explained.

The 23-year-old young woman lives in Italy, far from her homeland, but she continues to achieve achievements and win medals on behalf of her home country, Afghanistan. “This silver medal embodies the great resilience of Afghan women, and I am very happy with it,” she said, adding, “In 2021, when the Taliban entered my country, I fled because I wanted to pursue my dream. I want to show the world and Afghan women that we can have a chance.”

Looking forward to the Los Angeles Olympics

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, it has imposed strict restrictions on women's access to education and public life, including exercise. Hashemi was able to flee to Italy, the homeland of former world champion Alessandra Capilotto, with her help, where she currently lives and trains.

“I was born in a country where women with dreams are attacked, and I am really happy that I fought against that,” said Hashemi, who will compete alongside her sister Yulduz, also a professional cyclist, in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She added that she already has her sights set on the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028: “I will never give up, and I hope that in Los Angeles we can show what can be achieved again.”

Following her success in the current Asian Games and winning a silver medal, Hashemi extended special thanks to the Japanese team that helped her maintain her bike. She said: "I came here without a mechanic and without any preparations. We brought with us one person from the National Union, and his task was limited to driving the car." She added: "We repaired the bike ourselves. I was my own mechanic. I also washed the bike myself."

Edited by: F.Y