Danish Hussain Yar

RESIDENCE: ITHACA, N.Y.

Danish grew up in Afghanistan and when the Taliban regained power, she lost the ability to run as women were no longer permitted to leave the home without a man. She started watching videos of the TCS New York City Marathon, dreaming of the freedom the race represented. At 18, she escaped the country and used running to cope with the loss of her home, and at 20, she moved to the United States to attend Cornell University. She is running the TCS New York City Marathon with Free to Run, a nonprofit she discovered as a young girl that advances gender equity through running.

What does it mean to be part of the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Team Inspire?

“Running the TCS New York City Marathon is a dream come true, but being part of Team Inspire makes it truly special. Representing Afghanistan as one of the few Afghan women ever to participate in this race gives me a purpose beyond the finish line. I hope my story inspires women everywhere to know that they belong in sports too.”