A former Afghan refugee who works as an NHS nurse wants to inspire more Muslim women into sport after completing a 27-hour ultramarathon.

Fatima Painda, who lives in Peterborough, grew up in Ghazni, a mountainous region of Afghanistan, but fled to Britain when she was 14 to escape the Taliban.

Ms Painda, an assistant nurse at Peterborough Hospital, has embarked on a global running challenge this summer and will run trails and marathons in 26 cities.

She aims to be a “voice for change” and raise awareness and funds for Afghan women facing injustice.

In August, she became one of the few Afghan women, “or even the first Afghan woman”, to complete the annual CCC 100km ultra-endurance race in France – part of the UTMB World Series.

Ms Painda and her six siblings grew up working on their father’s farm after school, climbing the hills with friends and living a “beautiful life”, she said.

Her school was an hour’s walk from home, and she and her friends would often run after trucks and jump on them to avoid walking. This was her first running experience.

But she and her family fled after the Taliban took over the country in 1996.

During their trip, her family was shot by the Taliban. Their belongings were also looted at the Pakistan border.

In Peterborough, he attended Nene Park Academy and in 2019 graduated from the University of East Anglia.

She has been training with her coach Paul Harkins at Peterborough Athletics Track for around 15 years.

Mr Harkins described her as “inspirational” and said he had high aspirations for her.

“I felt lost when we first moved here. I missed the mountains,” Ms Painda said.

“My coach has been there for me through the lows and highs.

“Yes, there is stigma and barriers. But I didn’t feel like I had to speak English to run. For me, running means you have coaches and you can conquer the world.

“I didn’t feel the need to fit in or change…I know Muslim women who have faced stereotypes.

“If a person who doesn’t know me says something to me… I won’t react. I feel like it has nothing to do with me, but they might be going through something themselves.

“It’s not easy to be like that. But you have to be so solid in your foundation.”

Ms Painda juggles 13-hour shifts working in the hospital’s A&E department with her running, as well as providing personal fitness training.

She was featured in the November issue of Women’s Running magazine for being a role model for women around the world.

Over the years, she has been an ambassador for Free to runa charity set up to empower women through sport in Afghanistan and Iraq.

She said her love and passion for running and healthcare kept her going.

Ms Painda hopes to be “a voice for change” and an inspiration to other women, particularly in the Muslim community.

She also paid tribute to her family and called them her “backbone”.

“The life of women in Afghanistan is extremely challenging. It is heartbreaking to see them deprived of their basic rights,” she said.

“When I crossed the finish line in Chamonix, I felt like literally all the Afghan women were with me. I felt so strong and so great. It was a beautiful experience.”

She added: “There is so much going on in the world – in Afghanistan, for the Hazara people, in Palestine, in Lebanon. So if we can spread kindness at any opportunity, we must take it.

“I will not stop running or raising awareness about the issues. If I can change a life, either through running or through care and kindness, I will continue.”