HANGZHOU, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Despite a neck injury yet to fully heal, Yuldoz Hashimi continued to mount her bicycle and persevere in the face of adversity on Wednesday. The Afghan girl had suffered an unfortunate accident earlier and, upon arriving in Hangzhou, had trained daily through the pain.

On the 139.7-kilometer course of the Women's Road Race of Cycling Road, she didn't feel alone because her 20-year-old sister, Fariba Hashimi, joined her on the track, also racing with a clavicle fracture. "Being able to race at the Asiad is not only a proud moment for me but also for the countless women in Afghanistan," said Yuldoz when asked about her determination to compete. The 23-year-old ultimately finished in 28th place, while Fariba ranked 24th.

The sisters never believed that their dreams were solely their own. They aspire to make history as the first two cyclists representing Afghanistan at the Olympics. "We both want to stand on the Olympic podium for Afghanistan," Yuldoz said. "It's not just about our dream, it's for our family, and most importantly, for the people of our homeland."

The Afghanistan delegation sent 17 female athletes to the Hangzhou Asiad, competing in Cycling, Volleyball, and other events. Hafizullah Wali Rahimi, an official of the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee, expressed his hope that this could serve as an opportunity to promote education and sports for local females.