For 65 years, Barbie dolls have looked to inspire children by showcasing all different kinds of jobs—from astronaut to beekeeper to game developer, proving that anything is possible when it comes to landing a dream career.
Now, the doll is out to inspire the next generation of pro athletes with the new Team Barbie line. With the latest collection, Barbie aims to honor female athletes who have shattered barriers by amplifying their voices and celebrating their achievements on and off the field.
The collection includes likenesses of nine athletes, such as tennis legend Venus Williams and boxer Estelle Mossely. Also included is one of the fastest women in the world, Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda.
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“So happy that Barbie acknowledged my story and honored me alongside 8 other amazing athletes from around the world for the Barbie Role Model. I still can’t believe this! As a little girl I played with dolls and now I have my own Barbie doll that looks like me—the only one in the world,” Swoboda said in the caption for a photo of her with the lookalike Barbie doll.
“I want my story to show that it’s always worth being yourself. You don't have to live up to anyone’s expectations or conform to imposed frames to achieve your goals. Everyone has the right to express ourselves in our own way,” she said in the caption.
Swoboda holds the Polish national record in the 60 meters with a time of 6.98 seconds. She won silver at the 2024 World Indoor Championships in the 60 meters and has earned three medals, one gold and two silver, at the European Indoor Championships. Swoboda also won gold in the 100 meters at the 2023 European Games and silver in the 100 meters at the 2016 World Junior Championships.
In a separate posting, Swodoba echoed the message of the collection. “Let this distinction be a message to all girls: never lose faith in yourself, do not listen to others, strive for self-realization. And don’t forget that you can achieve anything!”
Laura Ratliff is a New York City-based writer, editor, and runner. Laura's writing expertise spans numerous topics, ranging from travel and food and drink to reported pieces covering political and human rights issues. She has previously worked at Architectural Digest, Bloomberg News, and Adidas Unveils Boston Marathon Jacket and was most recently the senior editorial director at TripSavvy. Like many of us, Laura was bitten by the running bug later in life, after years of claiming to "hate running." Her favorite marathon is Big Sur.
