AFGHAN CYCLIST FARIBA HASHIMI WINS ASIAN GAMES SILVER

Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan cyclist now based in Italy, won a silver medal in the women's road race at the Asian Games near Nagoya, Japan, finishing behind China's Guo Li. Hashimi, who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, said the result was "something special" and that she hoped it would inspire other women. She also competed in the women's time trial at the Games, finishing seventh, according to one report. Hashimi said she raced without a mechanic, relying instead on a single national federation official who drove the team car, and thanked the Japanese team for helping repair her bike during the event.

Hashimi, from Faryab province in northern Afghanistan, said she disguised herself as a man during training in her early years in the sport for her own safety, and said she was attacked with stones as she pursued cycling. She fled Afghanistan with the help of former Italian world champion Alessandra Cappellotto, alongside her sister Yulduz, also a professional cyclist, and the pair now live and train in Italy. Both sisters competed at the Paris Olympics in 2024. Hashimi said Taliban authorities had curtailed women's freedoms, including access to education and public life, since retaking control of the country.

Hashimi said the silver medal reflected "a lot of resilience from Afghan women" and said she felt supported by women in other countries who share similar ambitions. She said she hoped the next generation of Afghan women would be able to compete internationally "without any fear." Hashimi said she intends to keep competing, with the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 as a future goal.