Biography
Sabiha Zahid was a Pakistani national champion cyclist from Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She became the first woman from Hazara Division to win the National Cycling Championship in 2013 and went on to win national individual time-trial titles from 2014 through 2018. A Pakistan Army cyclist, she also represented Pakistan internationally, winning a bronze medal in an Asian individual time-trial event in India and contributing to Pakistan's silver medal in the Asian Team Championship. She died in February 2019 at the age of 32.
Major Achievements
- First woman from Hazara Division to win the National Cycling Championship — 2013
- National Individual Time Trial Champion — 2014
- National Individual Time Trial Champion — 2015
- National Individual Time Trial Champion — 2016
- National Individual Time Trial Champion — 2017
- National Individual Time Trial Champion — 2018
- Key member of Pakistan Army Cycling Team
- Bronze medal — Asian Individual Time Trial, India
- Member of Pakistan team that won silver in Asian Team Championship
- Represented Pakistan at international competitions in Asia and the World Cycling Academy in Korea.
National Career
Sabiha Zahid began learning cycling in 2011 after watching a women’s cycling event. Coming from Haripur, she initially trained on her maternal uncle’s bicycle because there were limited opportunities and facilities for women cyclists in her hometown. She later travelled to Lahore for professional training.
In 2013, she became the first woman from Hazara Division to win the National Cycling Championship. Her success continued after joining the Pakistan Army cycling team.
She won the National Individual Time Trial Championship five consecutive times from 2014 through 2018, according to the Pakistan Cycling Federation officials quoted by Dawn. She was also a key member of the Army team at the 2018 Team Championship in Peshawar.
Her track achievements included a gold medal in the 3,000m Individual Pursuit at the 2017 National Track Cycling Championship and a gold in the 1,000m Individual Sprint at the same championship
International Career
She was selected for the Pakistan squad for the Asian Cycling Championships in New Delhi, where she was the only Pakistani female cyclist selected in the elite women’s squad after meeting the qualifying standard.
She later represented Pakistan in the World Cycling Academy in Korea and won a bronze medal in the Asian Individual Time Trial in India. She was also part of the Pakistan cycling team that won silver in the Asian Team Championship.
Notable Records
- First woman from Hazara Division to win the National Cycling Championship — 2013
- Five consecutive National Individual Time Trial titles — 2014–2018
- 2017 National Track Cycling Champion in 3,000m Individual Pursuit
- 2017 National Track Cycling Champion in 1,000m Individual Sprint
- Asian Individual Time Trial bronze medal
- Member of Pakistan’s Asian Team Championship silver-medal team
- International representation in Korea and India.
Official Sources
- Dawn — International cyclist Sabiha Zahid loses battle with cancer
- The Express Tribune — Two-wheeler star: Sabia’s seat of dreams
- The News — Pedalling her way to success
- Business Recorder — International cyclist Sabiha Zahid dies of cancer
- Dawn — Army dominate national track cycling
- APP — Army’s riders dominate the opening day of national cycling
Additional Notes
Sabiha Zahid's story is particularly important in the history of women's cycling in Pakistan. She came from Pinyan/Haripur in Hazara Division, where opportunities for women in cycling were limited. She initially learned on her uncle's bicycle and later travelled to Lahore for professional training.
Despite limited facilities and equipment, she developed into one of Pakistan's most successful female cyclists of her era. Her national championship record from 2014–2018 and international medals made her an important figure in Pakistani women's cycling.
