Leeds sporting heroine Nicola Adams has been turned into a 'boxing Barbie' doll
Toy maker Mattel said it was “proud to honour” double Olympic champion Nicola with the one-off doll as part of its Shero programme - recognising women who inspire girls with their achievements.
Nicola, the first woman to win an Olympic boxing title, said: “I am so excited and honoured to be Barbie’s first ever UK Shero and the first ever boxer Barbie. My hope is that everything I do helps more people realise they can do anything they put their mind to.”
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Hide Ad“Without my own role models, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Growing up, they were my mum and Muhammad Ali - there were no female boxers in the media when I was a kid, and I might have discovered my passion sooner if I’d seen other women boxing.
“That’s why empowering the next generation of kids is something I’m passionate about and it’s great to work with Barbie. I hope my doll inspires young girls to believe that they can break boundaries in whatever they choose to do.”
Mattel said it was not planning to put the doll on sale, but the aim was to “inspire conversation” around role models.
The toymaker said research found 84 per cent of mothers were worried about the type of role models their daughters were exposed to, and wanted to “ignite a conversation around the importance of positive role models by shining a light on inspiring women”.