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Hashimi followed her sister Yulduz, also an international cyclist, into the sport at the age of 15, despite danger in their home province of Faryab.<\/p>\n
“I always dressed as a man to go to training, wearing two or three different masks so \u200cpeople \u2060would not recognise or attack me,” Hashimi previously told Reuters., external<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Hashimi said she would have to avoid stones being thrown at her whilst riding her bike.<\/p>\n Hashimi now lives and trains in Italy thanks to help from the Italian former world champion Alessandra Cappellotto.<\/p>\n Looking back at life in Afghanistan, Hashimi said the Taliban “took away our freedom”.<\/p>\n “This silver medal can show a lot of resilience from Afghan women, and I’m really happy,” she said.<\/p>\n “I’m not alone, I know that behind me millions of women, from many countries, have the same dream and they are standing with me.”<\/p>\n Hashimi and her sister competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics and are now setting their sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.<\/p>\n “I never want to give up,” Hashimi said, “and hopefully we can see [what can happen] again in Los Angeles.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n