Afghan female cyclist wins silver at Asian Games after disguising herself as a man to train, tell me about this news in (https://www.wral.com/news/ap/0b4b0-afghan-female-cyclist-wins-silver-at-asian-games-after-disguising-herself-as-a-man-to-train/)

This Associated Press report highlights the journey of 23-year-old Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi, who won the silver medal in the women’s cycling road race at the Asian Games in Japan.

Key details of the story include:

• Training in Secret: Hashimi grew up in northern Afghanistan’s Faryab province and took up cycling alongside her sister, Yulduz. Because women were heavily discouraged and harassed for participating in sports, she regularly disguised herself as a manwearing baggy male clothes, hiding her face behind masks, and wearing sunglassesjust to be able to train outside.

• Overcoming Danger and Attacks: Training was fraught with peril. When passersby realized she and her sister were female, people often shouted abuse, threw stones and bottles at them, and in one incident, an oncoming three-wheeler rammed into her sister, breaking her wrist.

• Fleeing the Taliban: Following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and their severe restrictions barring women and girls from public life, education, and sports, Hashimi escaped Afghanistan to protect her dream of competing professionally. With the assistance of former Italian world cycling champion Alessandra Cappellotto, she and her sister relocated to Italy, where they now live and train.

• The Victory in Japan: Hashimi completed the road race near Nagoya in 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 5 seconds to claim silver, becoming Afghanistan’s first female Asian Games medalist in over two decades. Competing with limited resources, she managed much of her own bike maintenance during the event.

• A Message of Resilience: Hashimi emphasized that her medal represents the strength and resilience of Afghan women who have had their rights and freedoms stripped away. Having already competed at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she is now targeting the 2028 Los Angeles Games, expressing hope that one day women will be able to ride freely and safely alongside one another on the streets of Kabul.