Fariba Hashimi won silver in the women’s cycling road race at the Asian Games on Tuesday, finishing in 2 hours, 50 minutes, 5 seconds. The medal is the easy part. The nearly impossible part was the training that got her there.
To compete at all, Hashimi had to disguise herself as a man in Afghanistan, where women have few rights. She dressed as a guy whenever she went to train, and she hid her face when she could to avoid recognition.
The Disguise
“All the time when I was going to training,” Hashimi said, “I was dressing as a guy.”
She also hid her face when she could, to avoid recognition.
“Because sometimes when they recognized me, they were trying to throw … stone(s) or hitting me,” she said.
The risks were real. The attacks were physical. The disguise was necessary. Hashimi’s story is not about convenience. It is about survival.
Escaping Afghanistan
Hashimi did not leave Afghanistan on a whim. She left because the Taliban moved into her country in 2021, and she wanted to follow her dream.
“In 2021, when the Taliban moved into my country, I escaped my country because I wanted to follow my dream,” she said.
The escape was a practical matter of survival. The dream is what drove her.
Why She Won
The silver medal is a personal victory, but it is also a statement. Hashimi wants the world to see what Afghan women can do.
“I want to show the Afghanistan women in the world that … we can have an opportunity,” she said.
The medal is proof. It is not just a race result. It is a message to the regime that banned her from her own sport. It is a message to the women of Afghanistan that they have something to hold onto.
More Than a Medal
Hashimi spoke about having many dreams for women in Afghanistan, dreams for herself and dreams that may take time to be realized. The complexity of her position is clear in her words.
“I’m really, really happy and I’m full of emotion. I don’t know how I can explain it for you,” she said.
The emotion is real. The happiness is real. She has carried this journey for years, and the moment of the medal is the payoff. But she knows it is not the end.
The Dream of Kabul
Hashimi’s vision for the future is specific. She wants to return to Afghanistan and ride the streets of Kabul, side by side with women who share the same passion.
“I hope one day I come back in my country and ride the streets of Kabul — and riding with the women side by side to share the same passion,” she explained.
That is a simple wish. It is also a radical one. The idea of women riding together on the streets is a direct challenge to the Taliban’s control.
Changing the Situation
Hashimi is not shy about who she is talking to. She hopes the Taliban is watching.
“I think we are really tired of the situation of our country and I hope the Taliban is watching,” she said.
She knows what she is up against. The Taliban fears women’s power. She is explicit about this.
“I know how much one woman can be powerful and that’s why Taliban is scared (of) women,” she added.
The Road to Nagoya
The road to the Asian Games was long and dangerous. Hashimi left Afghanistan in 2021, and that escape was the first step. The medal is the latest. The journey between them involved hiding, danger and a constant effort to stay alive.
“Because sometimes when they recognized me, they were trying to throw … stone(s) or hitting me,” she said.
| Stage | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Escape from Afghanistan | — |
| — | Training in disguise | — |
| — | Asian Games road race | 2 hours, 50 minutes, 5 seconds |
| Future | Ride the streets of Kabul | — |
The table is a record of what happened. It is not a plan. The future is not guaranteed. But Hashimi is not waiting for permission. She is making her own way.
What This Meant to Afghanistan
Hashimi’s story is a story of resistance. It is a story of courage. It is a story of women who will not be silenced.
She disguised herself to train. She escaped a country under Taliban rule. She won a medal in a sport where women have few rights.
The medal is proof of her skill. The disguise is proof of her courage. The escape is proof of her determination. The dream of Kabul is proof of her hope.
The Taliban may have thrown stones at her. They may have tried to stop her. None of that stopped her.
Hashimi’s message to the women of Afghanistan is clear: you can have an opportunity. You can follow your dreams. You can ride together on the streets of Kabul.
The medal is the result of years of effort. It is also the beginning of something new. Hashimi has shown what she can do on a road race. She wants to show what Afghan women can do in their own country.
The dream of Kabul is not a fantasy. It is a goal. It is a statement. It is a challenge to the regime that tried to silence her.
Hashimi’s story is not finished. She has more dreams for herself and for women in Afghanistan. She knows that change will not come quickly. But she believes it will come.
Her words about the situation of her country are a warning as much as a statement. The people are tired, and she hopes the Taliban is watching.
Hashimi knows how much one woman can be powerful. That is why the Taliban is scared of women. Her medal is proof of that power. Her disguise is proof of the danger she faced. Her escape is proof of her determination.
The story of Fariba Hashimi is a story of a woman who would not be stopped. She disguised herself to train. She escaped to follow her dream. She won a medal on the road. And she has not given up.
She hopes to return to her country and ride the streets of Kabul with women side by side. That is a simple wish. It is also a radical one.
Hashimi has shown what she can do. She has won a silver medal. She has spoken about her dreams for women in Afghanistan. She has challenged the Taliban.
The medal is the easy part. The journey is the real story. Hashimi’s courage carried her from danger to victory. Her story is a reminder that dreams can be realized, even when the road is long and the obstacles are great.
Her message to the women of Afghanistan is clear: you can have an opportunity. You can follow your dreams. You can ride together on the streets of Kabul.
Source material: “Afghan female cyclist wins silver at Asian Games after disguising herself as a man to train,” Yahoo Sports.
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