Zahra Rezayee
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 March 1999 |
| Team information | |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role | Rider |
| Professional team(s) | |
| 2022 | Valcar–Travel & Service |
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Zahra Rezayee (born 21 March 1999) is an Afghan road cyclist.[1] She is a refugee from Afghanistan in Italy. She is a national championships medalist and competed at the 2023 UCI Road World Championships. With her contribution to road cycling she aims for better possibilities for Afghan women.[2]
Biography
After the Fall of Kabul by the Taliban in 2021, women's rights and freedoms were cracked down on, including a ban on women practicing sports. With the help of Alessandra Cappellotto she was able to leave Afghanistan with a few other women on a flight organised by the Italian government in 2021. Her family still lives in Afghanistan. She started living in the Veneto region in a flat together with Fariba Hashimi and Yulduz Hashimi. Cappellotto also helped them with new bikes, a coach (Maurizio) and a training schedule.[3] Since the takeover by the Taliban, out of the 52 Afghan sport federations, Afghan women only participate in cycling (as of 2023)[2] Initially she was not ready to compete emotionally, mentally and physically, so she focused on cycling.[2]
From 1 August 2022 she joined team Valcar–Travel & Service.[1][2] The women’s Afghanistan national championships were held in Aigle, Switzerland in October 2022. In this road race she won the bronze medal behind Fariba Hashimi and Yulduz Hashimi.[4][5] Together with those two women and three men she competed in the mixed team relay event at the 2023 UCI Road World Championships in Glasgow. It marked the first time since the Fall of Kabul by the Taliban that women represented Afghanistan at a World Championships. After the men finished and the three women started, Rezayee fell on the starting podium. As the time of the second rider counts, the two others continued. Minorly injured, Rezayee continued chasing. Because one of the other two women had a puncture, she finished the race with Hashimi. While they finished in last place, 18 minutes behind Switzerland, they achieved an important goal.[2]
Beyond her goal to become a professional cyclist and Olympian, she competes to represent Afghan women and be a sign of hope for them. She hopes with her contribution to road cycling, the world will continue to support Afghan women.[2]
Major results
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Zahra Rezayee". ProCyclingStats. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Met vallen en opstaan: Afghaanse WK-debutanten dromen van Spelen in Parijs". NOS (in Nederlands). 9 August 2023.
- ↑ "Yulduz and Fariba Hashimi: Escaping the Taliban, chasing a dream". BBC. 8 March 2023.
- ↑ "Fariba Hashimi wins Women's Road Championships of Afghanistan". Cycling News. 23 October 2022.
- ↑ "Hashimi sisters dominate Afghanistan national championships in Switzerland". Olympics.com. 23 October 2022.
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