MISS Olympia Amateur Kristen McGregor will finally get to fulfil her dreams of participating in the World Caribbean Championship after the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) assisted her with over $250,000 to make the trip to the Puerto Rico Pro Olympia qualifier.

McGregor will leave the island tomorrow for The Bahamas for the two-day tournament which starts on Thursday.

Minister of Sports Olivia Grange welcomed a beaming McGregor to her office with a cheque of $250,000.

“I have this extra passion for women in sports and I heard about Kristen McGregor’s difficulties in getting enough funding to go to Nassau, The Bahamas, for the qualifiers — and I thought we could not allow her to be in a position where she can’t make it because she needs funding,” said Grange.

“So, through the Sports Development Foundation, we have made a quarter-million dollars ($250,000) available to her to realise her dream and her objective.

“She is an outstanding athlete and a member of JABBFA [Jamaica Amateur Body Building and Fitness Association] and our current champion and, of course — I can’t miss this out — she is the daughter of Lockett McGregor, the tennis coach and administrator. I know she wants to be her own person but I couldn’t help but mention him,” she added.

“It is my pleasure to make this presentation to her, and I want to thank the SDF for being that agency that I can call on to provide funding,” said Minister Grange.

She continued: “Just say to athletes out there, ‘During this period when there are so many challenges because of COVID, we will do whatever we can to help you achieve your objectives.’ ”

Meanwhile McGregor, a former track and field athlete who won the 2020 Miss Olympia Amateur title in the Women’s Figure category, was happy for the Government’s assistance.

“I am very appreciative of the help that I have acquired from the SDF as it will surely do some great help for this trip, because most of my travels and accommodations since I have been doing this sport have been coming from pocket,” said McGregor.

“It is very good that the SDF could step in this time and cover some of my expenses. Also, I would like to give thanks to PROVEN [Wealth] who also gave me some assistance in this trip,” she noted.

“I will always do my best. Jamaica can always look forward to Kristen doing her best as I have always said that there are nine different judges on the panel and there are different personalities and sex appeal, so it is just with their discretion like in a criteria that I might be once again successful on the stage,” said McGregor.