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- Cyclist Fariba Hashimi represented Afghanistan at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- Hashimi and her sister both fled the country and competed in open defiance of its Taliban rulers.
- Hashimi told BI she wants her journey to inspire Afghan women and highlight their strength.
Afghan Olympic cyclist Fariba Hashimi was 15 when she entered her first cycling race.
It was also the first day she ever rode a bike.
"It was not seen as a woman's sport," she told Business Insider. "Since it was new, it was not easily accepted."