Fariba Hashimi becomes the first Afghan woman to win an Asian Games medal since 2002.

Fariba Hashimi won a silver medal in the women’s bike race at the 2026 Asian Games near Nagoya, Japan. The 23-year-old Afghan cyclist came second behind China’s Guo Li on Tuesday. She was the first Afghan woman to win an Asian Games medal since 2002. She also came seventh in a time trial, a race where riders are timed, on Sunday. The medal matters because Hashimi once had to hide who she was so she could train.

Hashimi began cycling at 15 in Faryab, northern Afghanistan, with her sister Yulduz. She dressed as a man when she trained because people might attack her. People threw stones at her while she rode. In 2021, the Taliban returned to power and made rules that limited what women could do, including in sport. Hashimi left Afghanistan after the Taliban returned. Alessandra Cappellotto, an Italian former world champion, helped her move to Italy. Hashimi lives and trains there now.

Hashimi and Yulduz also competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hashimi is now looking ahead to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. “I never want to give up,” said Hashimi, the Afghan cyclist. She hopes her result will help other Afghan women follow their goals. Her medal matters because it lets people see an Afghan woman competing, even though women in her country face limits.