Global tennis icon Venus Williams has been honored with her very own Barbie doll as part of a new line celebrating female athletes and encouraging young girls to pursue sports.
Nine female sports stars have been selected for the Role Model lineup, launched by Mattel to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Barbie. In addition to Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, the collection features triathlete and doctor Susana Rodriguez, WFC star Mary Fowler from Manchester City, and several other sports icons.
Williams’s doll showcases her in a white cotton overall dress, a white baseball cap, and laced sneakers, along with striking gold earrings that reflect her love for jewelry.
The new doll also comes with a tennis ball and a removable tennis racket, featuring movable limbs that allow for a variety of athletic poses.
The sportswoman-motivated range from Mattel plans to feature good examples inside the business and enable young ladies to arrive at their true capacity – a mission that reverberates with Williams.
‘All through my vocation, I’ve forever been driven by breaking biased based impediments and remaining consistent with myself, and Barbie’s main goal couldn’t reverberate all the more profoundly with that ethos,’ the tennis star said.
‘I’m respected to be perceived as a games good example and unite with Group Barbie to keep enabling the up and coming age of little kids to believe constantly in their fantasies.’
Williams is following in some admirable people’s footsteps in the new Barbie range, with eight other stalwart competitors deified in doll structure.
Spanish paratriathlon competitor Susana Rodriguez is likewise in the setup, procuring a spot for her hindrance breaking accomplishments in sport.
Rodriguez was brought into the world with albinism and started running at age 10, proceeding to turn into a record-breaking competitor. She likewise filled in as a specialist on the bleeding edges during the pandemic, procuring her the front of TIME magazine in 2021.
‘Being chosen as a Barbie Role Model is a source of pride for me,’ Rodriguez explained.
‘I hope that girls, when they see me and my Barbie together, see an example of someone who despite having certain challenges can achieve their goals through work, effort and above all self-belief.’
Man City star Mary Fowler has also been given her own Barbie in recognition of her achievements in football.
The striker has become a key player for Australian national team the Matildas as well as Man City in the UK, and was the youngest player to be selected for the FIFA World Cup in 2019 at just 16.
Fowler’s doll comes complete with her trademark gloves, bubble braid hairstyle, football boots and a ball.
Fowler said of her relationship with sport: ‘Sport has been important to me in terms of creating my sense of self. I think it has definitely shaped me into the person I am today.
‘If I look back on my journey and I think about the moments when I really felt like I took a step forward in my growth as a person, they’ve all been from moments where I was challenged as an athlete.
She then continued: ‘The advice I like to give to aspiring athletes is to not be afraid of making mistakes.’
The full lineup of new Role Model Barbie dolls includes soccer player Christine Sinclair (Canada), boxer Estelle Mossely (France), gymnasts Alexa Moreno (Mexico) and Rebeca Andrade (Brazil), swimmer Federica Pellegrini (Italy) and track and field sprinter Ewa Swoboda (Poland).
Senior Vice President of Barbie and Mattel’s Global Head of Dolls, Krista Berger, said: ‘Barbie is thrilled to continue the brand’s 65th-anniversary celebration by recognising the impact of sport in fostering self-confidence and ambition among the next generation.
‘The sports one-of-a-kind role model dolls serve as an embodiment of our shared values of passion, empowerment and individuality.
‘By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality.’
