Afghan cyclist Hashimi wins Asian Games silver

Fariba Hashimi, an Afghan cyclist who once disguised herself as a man to train under Taliban restrictions, won a silver medal in the women's road race at the 20th Asian Games near Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday. The 23-year-old, who is based in Italy, finished second at the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course in Aichi Prefecture, according to local reports. China's Guo Li took gold and Hong Kong's Leung Wing Yee claimed bronze. Hashimi said the result carried meaning beyond the podium. "This silver medal can show a lot of resilience from Afghan women, and I'm really happy," she said, adding that she hoped the next generation would be able to represent their country without fear. Her path to the medal has been marked by danger. Hashimi began cycling at 15 after following her sister Yulduz into the sport in their home province of Faryab, but said she had to dress as a man and wear two or three masks to attend training so people would not recognize or attack her. She said stones and bottles were thrown at her and her sister while they trained. "I was born inside a country where the women who dream are getting attacked, and I'm really happy that I have fought against that," Hashimi said.