Afghan cyclist Fariba Hashimi finished seventh in the women’s individual time trial at the Asian Games, a result she said represented survival and resistance as much as sporting achievement. The 23-year-old fled Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and now lives in Italy. She described training disguised as a man, wearing multiple masks, avoiding recognition, and enduring stones and bottles thrown at her. She hopes her achievement can inspire Afghan girls, many of whom have lost access to secondary education.
Source: https://today.reuters.com/sports/dressing-man-competing-with-elite-no-backpedalling-afghan-hashimi-2026-09-20
