DETROIT, July 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, more than 500 U.S. athletes will travel to Tokyo to compete on the world stage, and the vast majority of them will go without any financial support from a sponsor. Depending on the sport, it can cost athletes tens of thousands of dollars or more to pursue their dreams, yet they don't give up. Ally Financial is committing $250,000 in funding for promising, determined athletes who already have their sights set on the next games, and will share their stories in hopes of inspiring others to show support.

Andrea Brimmer, chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally, explained, "Thousands of athletes train for years chasing down a dream to represent our country at the highest level, and while some will make it this year—and even go on to enjoy glory and lucrative contracts—many will have to stay at it, training, sweating and competing for another three years. The road is hard and expensive. But it can be a little easier when you have a financial ally in your corner. We wanted to bring the stories of the unseen and the unsponsored to the forefront, offer our support and hopefully spur others to follow suit."

Ally's #TheUnsponsored heroes

Ally's funding will enable these unsponsored athletes to pay for essentials such as training equipment and coaches' fees, as well as basic life necessities. To rally additional support, the company will be airing 30- and 60-second film spots across social media and national media properties, highlighting three unsponsored athletes' journeys as they strive to reach the top echelon of their sports.

Directing the stories is award-winning filmmaker Daniele Anastasion, whose "Run Mama Run" short docu-series was a Tribeca Film Festival special selection. Among the athletes featured in Ally's campaign are:

• Joshua Hartman: A 23-year-old cyclist, Joshua had a near-death experience while cycling in his teens. He has since recovered and is pursuing his dreams of representing his country. Joshua works to cover some of his training expenses by delivery driving for a major U.S. retailer.
• Ceara Gray: Raised by a single mother in Alabama, Ceara is a 24-year-old gymnast turned weightlifter. Despite facing setbacks, Ceara's resilience and work ethic have helped her emerge as one of the nation's strongest women.
• Sarah Sellers: A marathon runner and new mom, 30-year-old Sarah went from virtual unknown to placing second in the 2018 Boston Marathon. She works full-time job as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in a Tucson-based hospital, and she is determined to be a U.S. champion.

To join Ally's #TheUnsponsored movement

To learn more about these unsponsored U.S. hopefuls and others, as well as ways to help them, please visit ally.com/theunsponsored. Here, Ally shares their stories and links to organizations offering support and financial relief to help enable these athletes to train.

About Ally Financial

Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a digital financial services company committed to its promise to "Do It Right" for its consumer, commercial and corporate customers. Ally is composed of an industry-leading independent auto finance and insurance operation, an award-winning digital direct bank (Ally Bank, Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender, which offers mortgage lending, point-of-sale personal lending, and a variety of deposit and other banking products), a corporate finance business for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. A relentless ally for all things money, Ally helps people save well and earn well, so they can spend for what matters. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.

For more information and disclosures about Ally, visit https://www.ally.com/#disclosures.

For further images and news on Ally, please visit http://media.ally.com.

Contact:
Cristi Vazquez
Cristianna.Vazquez@ally.com

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SOURCE Ally Financial