Achi news desk-
Legendary Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair is now immortalized with a one-of-a-kind Barbie doll that looks just like her.
Mattel Inc., maker of the iconic dolls, celebrated the 65th anniversary of Barbie by recognizing nine athletes from around the world who broke barriers for women in sports, including the Canadian soccer legend, with role model dolls made in their likeness. Only one model of each athlete exists. , so they are not for sale.
“When I first saw it I was like, ‘Holy moly, that’s me!'” Sinclair, 40, said in an interview with CTV News on Wednesday.
Sinclair, who hails from Burnaby, BC, said she hopes sharing stories of women in sports can pave the way for future generations of athletes.
“As an athlete, never in my wildest dreams would I have been immortalized with an iconic doll,” Sinclair, who retired last year, said in a press release. “The significance of this aligns with my hope to inspire young girls to never give up on the sport they love or anything they might want to achieve.”
Sinclair became an icon in her sport, winning Olympic gold and two bronze medals with Team Canada. She was named Canada’s soccer player of the year 14 times, and was named player of the decade in 2019. With 190 goals, she is the all-time leading goalscorer in international football for both men and women. Furthermore, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017. She was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2013.
Other trailblazing women honored with their own doll include American Olympic tennis champion Venus Williams, Mexican gymnast Alexa Moreno, Brazilian gymnast Rebecca Andrade, Spanish triathlete Susan Rodriguez, Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Australian soccer player Mary Fowler, French boxer Estelle Mosley, and Polish track and field runner Eva Swoda.
Since 2015, Barbie has been honoring women who have broken boundaries and paved the way for the next generation of women, said Michelle Hallstra-Marian, Barbie brand manager for Mattel Canada.
“There are so many amazing women that we’re excited to honor this year,” Halstra-Marian said in an interview with CTV News on Wednesday. “One of the things we really like about Christine Sinclair is that she aligns with Barbie’s brand values. She is a huge supporter of women in sports and she really advocates for success on and off the field. And together we hope to inspire the next generation of female athletes.”
Although only one doll is made in the likeness of the athletes, she said it is the Barbie brand’s “highest honor.”
The Canadian country star Shania Twain also designed a barbie barbie. She was among eight women who received a unique Barbie doll in their likeness for International Women’s Day in March, the Canadian Press reported.
