For some just being able to compete at the Olympics is a dream come true. Afghan sisters Yulduz and Farib Hashimi will embody this sentiment when they hit the course together in the women’s road race on Sunday.
Yulduz, the older sister, already made history when she raced in the women’s road time trials earlier in the Games. The siblings are the first cyclists — male or female — to represent Afghanistan at the Olympics. She finished 26th, ahead of nine other riders, 4:50.89 behind first place (39:38.24).
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The road to Paris hasn’t been easy for the pair. The sisters grew up in a northern province of Afghanistan. As teenagers, they decided to enter a local cycling competition. They didn’t even know how to ride a bike or even own one, for that matter.
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"No one ever thought that women would ride bicycles in Faryab," said Fariba in a video call to the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "We thought it would be a small contest, but it caused quite a stir."
The sisters kept their first race a secret from everyone, including their parents. They wore loose clothing and sunglasses to disguise their appearance (and sex) from fellow competitors and spectators.
They shocked everyone, including themselves, when they came in first and second in the race. The sisters were instantly hooked, not only to the competition on the road, but also the feeling that came with it.
"When I rode a bicycle for the first time, I felt a sense of freedom," Yulduz said.
Their worry about their parents’ approval turned out to be unnecessary. Their parents were both supportive of the duo's desire to race. However, others in their town were less supportive.
To draw less attention, the pair would often train at night when the streets were less crowded.
"Some people said cycling wasn't suitable for girls and accused us of encouraging women and girls into immoral activities," Yulduz added.
The sisters were afraid someone might try and hurt them for defying the cultural norms in the area. Unfortunately, that fear became real when a rickshaw driver hit Yulduz while training, causing her to break her wrist. Another time, the sisters had to dodge stones and outrage from a group of citizens wile training.
Despite the obstacles, the sisters persisted. In 2020, they were invited to join Afghanistan’s national women’s cycling team. Shortly after, the Taliban took control of the country. The sisters faced a conundrum: stay home, with their family and unsafe conditions, or leave for an opportunity to keep riding and further their education. Yulduz was studying literature and Fariba hoped to study medicine.
SEE MORE: Cycling 101: Road cycling Olympic rules and competition format
A new beginning
The sisters decided to leave everything they knew with the help of a fellow cyclist, former world champion Italian cyclist Alessandra Cappellotto. The sisters landed in northern Italy with a new opportunity. Cappellotto helped them acclimate to their new settings and arranged everything they needed, from language lessons to contracts with an Italian cycling team.
Their new home and training paid off for the sisters. In 2022, Fariba was named Afghanistan’s women’s cycling champion, out racing her sister, in a competition held in Switzerland for the 50 Afghan cyclists living in exile. Yulduz has found success in the women’s time trial event, steadily improving her finishes. She has two top 10 finishes in the last two seasons.
As the sisters embrace the experience of the 2024 Games together, they know that by just being in Paris they are winning and representing something bigger than themselves. They aren’t in the 158km race (98 mile) race to realistically contend for a medal (they’re ranked 90th and 91st on the start list), but by just being at the starting line they are impacting the future of the sport.
"My sister and I might be among the first girls to go to the Olympics, but I hope we'll open a path for other Afghan girls," Farbia remarked.
They also want to "present a new image of Afghanistan and Afghan women to the world."
Even though their parents won’t be in Paris, the sisters won’t be alone. Cappellotto will be at their races cheering them on.
"They've made amazing progress," Cappellotto said. "They've learnt in two years what European girls learn in 10."
The Italian racer thinks there’s more in store for the sisters than just being content with participating in major international races. She predicted that one day, Yulduz or Fariba could win the mountain stage of the women’s Tour de France.
That’s high praise from the former champion, but everyone has to start somewhere. For the sisters, that’s the road race in Paris at 8 a.m. ET on Sunday.
