EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA. –
Barbie dolls will honor Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair and tennis champion Venus Williams, as well as seven other athletes, as part of a project announced by Mattel on Wednesday.
The others portrayed as puppets are gymnasts Rebeca Andrade and Alexa Moreno, soccer player Mary Fowler, boxer Estelle Mossely, swimmer Federica Pellegrini, paratriathlete Susana Rodriguez and track and field sprinter Ewa Swoboda.
“Throughout my career, I have always been driven by the idea of breaking glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie's mission couldn't be more in line with that ethos,” said Williams, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles.
The brand wanted to highlight “the impact of sport in fostering confidence, ambition and self-determination in the next generation,” said Mattel’s Krista Berger.