An Afghan cyclist who disguised herself as a man to pursue her sporting dreams won an Asian Games silver medal on Tuesday, hoping it inspires other women in a country where Taliban authorities have sharply curtailed their freedoms. Fariba Hashimi, who is based in Italy, powered home second in the women’s road race near Nagoya in Japan, calling the triumph “something special”. 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.” After fleeing Afghanistan with the help of Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto, Hashimi relocated to Italy, where she now lives and trains.
She and her sister competed at the Paris Olympics two years ago, and the 2028 Los Angeles Games are now looming into view. Hashimi reserved a special thanks for the Japanese team for playing a part in her silver medal. We brought one guy with us from the national federation, and he just drove the car,” she said.
I was the mechanic for myself. I was washing the bike myself. Thank you to the Japanese team.
They were really, really nice to me, fixed my bike.”
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