Playa del Carmen Aerial Gymnast Seeks Sponsors for Prague Competition

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Aerial dance gymnast Ramona Zakharova is asking authorities, business owners and sports brands for support so she can travel to Prague, Czech Republic, where she plans to compete in an event scheduled for Oct. 26 to Nov. 1.

The Playa del Carmen athlete arrives at this stage of her career with nine medals, seven of them gold and two silver. Three of those medals were won at international competitions, results that underpin her ambition to keep competing and represent Playa del Carmen abroad.

Her most recent appearance came on Sept. 16 at the Pan American Aerial Gymnastics Championship in Cancún, Quintana Roo, where she took gold. The short distance between Cancún and Playa del Carmen made attending that event easier.

Traveling to Europe, however, presents a different challenge. Zakharova said raising the money she needs has become one of her biggest obstacles.

Sponsorship Search Proves Difficult

According to the gymnast, finding sponsors is complicated because she has to juggle several commitments: studying, looking for backers and keeping up her training so she can maintain the level required to compete.

She went to the Municipal Sports Institute seeking backing from its director, Alberto López Castro, but said she received no response. She also requested support from the municipal president’s office and has yet to receive a favorable answer.

Zakharova recalled that last year she had to sit out a competition in Argentina because she lacked the money to attend.

She has already qualified for the Czech event, and her registration fee is covered. Even so, she still needs to raise funds for travel, lodging, insurance and food, among other expenses.

The gymnast extended her appeal to sports brands that might be interested in backing her participation, saying the support would carry their names to Prague while allowing her to continue representing Playa del Carmen in international competitions.

An Olympic Goal in Sight

Competing at this level also fits into a broader athletic ambition for Zakharova: reaching the Olympic Games. Each event, she said, is an opportunity to keep building her preparation and her career.

With the Prague competition approaching, she continues to search for the backing that would cover the costs of taking part. For now, her goal is to secure the support she needs to travel to the Czech Republic and compete abroad once again.

Her appeal is also an invitation to business owners and sports brands willing to join her project and stand behind an athlete from Playa del Carmen as she chases results and an Olympic dream.