Venus Williams gets her own Barbie doll that depicts her look in action
Venus Williams is joining the Barbie girls squad.
The tennis icon is among nine female athletes to be made into a Barbie doll in honor of the continued celebration of Barbie's 65th anniversary, Mattel announced in a press release on Wednesday.
Made in the likeness of Williams, the new doll depicts her look while in action on a tennis court, wearing white tennis dress and visor with matching sneakers, holding a racket and sporting her signature gold hoop earrings.
"Throughout my career, I've always been driven by the idea of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie's mission couldn't resonate more deeply with that ethos," Williams said in the release of the announcement. "I'm honored to be recognized as a sports role model and join forces with Team Barbie to continue empowering the next generation of young girls to never stop believing in their dreams."
In addition to Williams, eight other females athletes worldwide who are also honored with their own Barbie dolls include Olympic champion boxer Estelle Mossely (France), paratriathlon athlete Susana Rodriguez (Spain), swimmer Federica Pellegrini (Italy), gymnast Alexa Moreno (Mexico), Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade (Brazil) and soccer star Mary Fowler (Australia).
Last month, Mattel welcomed Olympian Kristi Yamaguchi into the Barbie family by releasing a new doll in the famed figure skater's likeness that includes a look that's very reminiscent of what the gold medal Olympian wore during her winning performance in Albertville, France in 1992.
The release of the Yamaguchi doll was timed as a special tribute for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, recognized in May.
"After welcoming Kristi Yamaguchi to our Barbie Inspiring Women line last month, we are proud to continue fueling the momentum surrounding women in sports by welcoming these nine athletes as our newest role models," Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls, Mattel said in a statement, per the new release on Wednesday.
"The sports one-of-a-kind role model dolls serve as an embodiment of our shared values of passion, empowerment and individuality," she added. "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."
