Full Breakdown
Afghan Cyclist Fariba Hashimi Wins Silver at Asian Games After Training in Disguise
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Silver Medal in Women’s Road Race
Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi, 23, finished second in the women’s road race near Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026. She completed the 140-kilometre course in 2 hours 50 minutes 5 seconds, earning Afghanistan’s first female Asian Games medal since the 2002 Busan Games.
Background & Context
The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, imposing strict limits on women’s participation in education, sport, and public life. Hashimi fled the country that year to pursue her cycling ambitions abroad. While still in Afghanistan, she trained by dressing as a man and concealing her face to avoid attacks from locals who opposed women cyclists. She and her older sister Yulduz Hashimi had first entered a race in 2017 in the Faryab province, borrowing neighbours’ bicycles and facing stone-throwing and other harassment.
Data & Statistics
- Race time: 2 h 50 m 5 s
- First Afghan female medal at the Asian Games since Busan 2002
- Silver placed behind China’s Guo Li in the road race
- Hashimi is an Olympic Solidarity scholarship holder and previously competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Official Statements & Responses
Hashimi described the medal as a symbol of resilience for Afghan women and expressed hope that her achievement will inspire others to pursue sport despite the Taliban’s restrictions. She said she wishes to return to Kabul one day and ride alongside other women on the city’s streets.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I came to the Asian Games dreaming about standing on the podium and representing my country,” — Afghanistan’s Fariba
- “Once, before a race, my father asked me ‘Do you want to ride? I’m fine with it, but I’m afraid they might kill you,” — Afghanistan’s Fariba
- “It is sad I can’t live in my country,” — Afghanistan’s Fariba
- “They took away our freedom, they took away everything from us,” — Fariba Hashimi
What’s Next
Hashimi is training for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, which she hopes to attend without the need to conceal her identity or rely on makeshift equipment. She also plans to continue advocating for greater freedom for women athletes in Afghanistan and to support the next generation of cyclists who may one day compete without fear.