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Two women are status to make history subsequent week when they picture Afghanistan at the UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
Arefa, 24, and 22-365 days-mature Mina possess been training twice a week in their local park since February to put together for the tournament.
“I need to picture my country, for every Afghan lady that doesn’t possess that opportunity,” Arefa told Sky News.
“When the Taliban came to the country everything became once banned for women, on each day basis, one extra thing we couldn’t attain.”
Women and women in Afghanistan possess been banned from playing and competing in sport since UK and international forces left the country two years in the past and the Taliban took over.
The pair arrived in the UK in October 2022, having fled Afghanistan.
“It became once sophisticated to shuffle away our country, our families, our pals, our future,” Mina told Sky News
“We made a notion, we made a life in Afghanistan.
“We had to shuffle away to be true and to are attempting to be a respectable cyclist and provides a enhance to prospects for Afghan women.”
The pair need to give a enhance to prospects for Afghan women
‘Extra special story’
As refugees, they spent one 365 days in hiding, fearing for their lives.
As soon as in the UK, both trained underneath the steering of coach James Hello.
He supplied them with bikes from his tiny cycling business when they arrived and rapidly noticed their talent.
“Mina and Arefa had great doable,” he told Sky News.
“After grand work, we now possess now been invited to participate in the UCI World Cycling Championships in Glasgow.
“Their initial response became once one of disbelief.
“Going from their province the set up they mature to costume up as males to now being on the world stage.
“Or no longer it is miles a blooming story.”
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Olympics subsequent?
The championships begin on Thursday, and the Afghan group can ask to compete against cycling’s world easiest.
Sports psychologist Maria Jacob works with the women to again pick them in their original dwelling.
“Or no longer it is greater than sincere the psychological training, and the train,” she stated.
“The traditional work I am doing, is re-building. They are indignant, they are already talking about the world championships, they are already talking about the Olympics.”
