Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi won the silver medal in the women’s road race at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan on Tuesday, September 22. The 23 year old finished second near Nagoya, behind China’s Guo Li, while Hong Kong’s Leung Wing Yee took bronze.
Hashimi’s medal has special meaning because of the difficulties she faced when she started cycling in Afghanistan. She began the sport at the age of 15 after following her sister, Yulduz Hashimi, into cycling. At that time, she said she had to dress as a man and use different masks so she could attend training without being recognised. She also faced attacks, including people throwing stones and bottles at her.
Hashimi left Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and later moved to Italy, where she continued her cycling career. She and her sister represented Afghanistan at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The silver medal came two days after Hashimi finished seventh in the women’s individual time trial at the Asian Games. She said she hopes her achievement can inspire Afghan women and allow future generations to compete without fear.
