Turning Fear To Fuel: Razan Al-Ajmi, Saudi Arabia's First Female Skydiver

Long before she ever strapped on a parachute, Razan Al-Ajmi, the first Saudi female skydiver, was chasing horizons. Raised among Saudi Arabia’s sweeping deserts and open skies, she grew up on long camping trips and cross-country journeys that stitched a deep bond between her and the natural world. 

“Since I was young, I’ve spent a lot of time surrounded by nature and the desert,” Al-Ajmi tells Inc. Arabia. “My family often went on camping trips and traveled long distances, which built a deep connection between me and the outdoors. This is why I’ve always been drawn to sports that take place in nature and have a strong connection to it. That passion led me to seize the opportunity to learn skydiving. Becoming the first Saudi female skydiver is an achievement that has given me the motivation to pave the way for others—especially women—who want to learn or enter this sport.” 

However, stepping into uncharted territory came with its own set of risks. “It was definitely not easy—there was a lot of fear involved,” Al-Ajmi admits. “The fear I felt became my challenge; I kept asking myself, ‘Why should I be afraid if others can do it?’” But that was just the beginning—entering a sport so unfamiliar also meant overcoming her Al-Ajmi's family’s initial hesitation about her taking it up. “There was concern about my safety, and the fact that it’s a dangerous sport,” Al-Ajmi shares. “I understood their perspective, but I also knew I had to build my path on my own. I worked hard—sometimes even taking two jobs—just to save enough money to travel, train, and keep progressing in the sport.” 

But what began as a personal pursuit went on to carry much greater weight—one that extended far beyond Al-Ajmi'sown goals. “Becoming the first Saudi woman in skydiving and the first female instructor here transformed my passion into a mission, as well as a message I must share with everyone who views this sport as dangerous,” Al-Ajmi says. “Beyond my personal enthusiasm, I am driven by the desire to create a place in Saudi Arabia where champions and professionals can emerge and proudly represent the Kingdom in this sport." 

This, in turn, is what led to Al-Ajmi launching her own skydiving agency—yet another “first” to her name in the Saudi landscape. “The hardest part was being the pioneer in everything—without having previous experiences to rely on or easy access to resources and mentors to avoid mistakes,” she shares. “Since skydiving is a new sport, especially in Saudi Arabia, launching this agency marks a first of its kind in the Kingdom. Our goal is to become one of the largest skydiving clubs in the Middle East.” 

Razan Al-Ajmi, the first Saudi female skydiver.

However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing, Al-Ajmi admits. “There were many challenges along the way, especially cultural and social barriers, as skydiving is not a common sport for women in our society,” she shares. “Institutionally, there were also limited resources and support available locally, which made progress harder. However, my passion and ambition kept me motivated. I faced each challenge with determination, learning from every obstacle and using it as fuel to move forward. This resilience is what ultimately allowed me to achieve my goals both as a skydiver and as an entrepreneur.” 

Al-Ajmi adds that she saw no divide between the thrill of freefall and the challenges of building a business. “Both skydiving and launching a startup mean leaping into the unknown, where there is no safety net and no clear path laid out before you,” she says. “To me, risk is not something to fear—it’s a test of courage and trust in myself. When there’s no blueprint, I rely on my instincts, my passion, and my relentless determination. Every jump, every decision feels like flying into uncertainty, but it’s in that moment of freefall that I find my strength."  

For Al-Ajmi, challenges—in both of the paths she took—were never a cue to stop. “I embrace the fear, because it means I’m alive, I’m growing, and I’m breaking new ground,” she says. “The only way forward is to trust the process and keep pushing, even when the outcome is unseen.” That resilience thus became her anchor during moments when Al-Ajmi doubted herself. “Most people don’t realize that I faced a lot of failures and setbacks compared to my achievements and successes,” she says. “But with every failure, I learned something new. Especially since I was starting something completely new with very few people I could rely on in this sport, I had to build everything on my own. It was very difficult, but in the end, I managed to overcome those challenges." 

Given her own experiences, when it comes to advice for people wanting to break into spaces that seem out of reach, Al-Ajmi insists that the path doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. “There’s a lot of motivational talk out there, but the truth is, simple things make the biggest difference,” she says. “Believe in your dream and your goal. Keep trying and don’t give up. Avoid comparing yourself to others but always learn from their experiences. These are the key steps to breaking into any field that seems off-limits.” 

Pictured in the lead image is Razan Al-Ajmi, the first Saudi female skydiver. All images are courtesy of Razan Al-Ajmi.