9 Female Athletes Receive Barbie Role Model Dolls
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Top-ranked Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda, who loved playing with Barbies as a child, now holds a Barbie made in her likeness. In a recent Instagram photo, she proudly displays the doll, which mirrors her brown ponytail and numerous tattoos.
To celebrate Barbie’s 65th anniversary, Mattel and Voiceinsport, an organization promoting equality in women’s sports, honored nine trailblazing female athletes with unique dolls called Barbie Role Models. The honorees include American tennis legend Venus Williams, Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair, Australian football player Mary Fowler, French boxer Estelle Mossely, Mexican gymnast Alexa Moreno, Brazilian gymnast Rebecca Andrade, Spanish paratriathlete Susana Rodriguez, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, and Swoboda.
Swoboda, 26, known for her explosive starts, is a three-time European Indoor Championship medalist in the 60 meters. She placed sixth in the 100 meters at the last two World Athletics Championships and aims to reach the Olympic final this summer in Paris. In 2024, she set a new national record in the 60 meters semifinals at the World Athletics Indoor Championships with a time of 6.98 seconds, winning silver in the final.
Swoboda shared her excitement on Instagram, emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself. “You don’t have to meet anyone’s expectations or adapt to imposed frameworks to achieve your goals.
Re-reported from the article originally published in Women’s running.
