Gold medalist Guo Li (C) of China, silver medalist Fariba Hashimi (L) of Afghanistan and bronze medalist Leung Wing Yee of Hong Kong, China take a selfie during the victory ceremony for the women's road race event of cycling road at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Shinshiro of Aichi Prefecture, Japan, Sept. 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Cen Yunpeng)
NAGOYA, Japan, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Guo Li edged Afghanistan's Fariba Hashimi in a closely contested sprint to win the women's cycling road race at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Tuesday, claiming gold on her Games debut.
Guo crossed the line in two hours, 50 minutes and five seconds after the 90.4-kilometer race at the Shinshiro Cycling Road Course. Hashimi took silver with the same time, while Leung Wing Yee of Hong Kong, China finished 41 seconds behind to claim bronze.
The race featured 40 riders from 17 countries and regions. After being unable to break clear on a climb, Guo conserved her energy and waited for the sprint. With roughly 300 to 400 meters remaining, she judged Hashimi's pace before accelerating from behind to take the win.
"I wasn't sure if I could outsprint her," Guo said, acknowledging that her limited experience at major races meant she was still learning about her opponents.
When her compatriot Zhang Hao, the individual time trial silver medalist, arrived at the finish, the two riders embraced in tears.
"We did it. We succeeded," Guo said, adding it was the fruit of a collective effort.
"I think we executed our tactics very well today. Everyone gave their all," she said.
Despite making her Asian Games debut, Guo said she had stayed calm throughout the race thanks to the thorough preparation.
"I approached the race with a very calm mindset, and I believed we could get a good result. In the end, we did," she said.
For silver medalist Hashimi, the race offered another opportunity to win a medal after mechanical problems disrupted her individual time trial. She said she hoped her silver medal would demonstrate the resilience of Afghan women.
Leung, meanwhile, was moved to tears at the medal ceremony after a difficult buildup to the Games.
She said an illness in late June had kept her off the bike for more than 10 days, followed by another interruption after a training accident. She finished fourth in the individual time trial.
"I just wanted to give everything I had," Leung said.
Guo is now setting her sights on qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"I hope to learn something from every race, keep building experience and get better and better," she said. ■
