Female Bodybuilder is First from Trinidad and Tobago to Get Pro Card

Gale Frankie

Gale Hamlet-Frankie has become Trinidad and Tobago's first professional female bodybuilder after receiving her International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) pro licence recently.

August 11, 2008 

Gale Hamlet-Frankie, who is based in Atlanta, Georgia is trained by the legendary Ty Ropeman Felder who coached bodybuilding legend Lee Haynes.

"I have been bodybuilding for 13 years but I have been competing for nine years," said Hamlet-Frankie in a recent interview while back home on a short working holiday.

The Trinidad and Tobago bodybuilder got into the sport while serving in the US Navy during the Persian Gulf War in Iraq to bond with the other soldiers, she said.

"After leaving Tranquillity Government Secondary School I attended Emory University and Rutledge College where I studied in the field of medicine.

"I then ran into some financial difficulty so I enrolled in the Navy and was stationed in the Persian Gulf as a medical support officer.  I was the only female with 600 men and then I joined the guys in the gym to fit in and bond and after that I stayed in the gym," said Hamlet-Frankie.

Over the past few years Hamlet-Frankie has been competing on the US National circuit as well among the Masters.

"I am hoping to compete in the Ms Olympia tournament and at other pro tournaments after getting my IFBB Pro Licence" said Hamel-Frankie.

Currently the pro bodybuilder is in Trinidad where she plans to attend several holiday camps and other youth organisations to speak to kids about her sport.

"I am going to speak to the kids in need of direction and at several camps and promote living your dream and achieving your goals.  Bodybuilding is about good health and discipline.....and I really want to be a mentor for these kids. I can show them through my experience that they can achieve whatever they want," said Hamel-Frankie.

The extremely well-proportioned bodybuilder is related to well-known sports promoter Tansley Thompson.

Source:  Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday