In celebration of Women’s Day this year, Barbie is honouring five of our very own female athletes and roles models to celebrate their achievements, as well as inspire girls to pursue their own dreams in the field of sports.
“As the original girl empowerment brand, Barbie is dedicated to shining a spotlight on powerful, diverse role models to inspire the limitless potential in every girl.”
“As sportswomen continue to set new records and take centre stage around the world, we are proud to honour these amazing women by amplifying their stories and achievements. In an effort to close the Dream Gap, we have a responsibility to show girls they can be anything on and off the field, court, mat and beyond,” said Lisa McKnight, SVP and Global head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel.
So, who are these five Malaysian barbie girls?
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Nicol David, World Squash Champion, Columnist & Advocate for Women in Sports
Eight-time World champion, Nicol David is a familiar face when it comes to the world of sports in Malaysia. Having previously secured the World no.1 spot in women’s squash for 112 months, she also has an honorary degree in the Master of Arts from University of Nottingham while garnering other prestigious titles including WSA Player of the Year.
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Farah Ann, Artistic Gymnast
A recognised face in the world of gymnastics, Farah Ann will represent Malaysia in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and is the third Malaysian gymnast to qualify for the the prestigious sporting event. Among her latest achievements include bagging the gold medal in last year’s Sea Games in Philippines.
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Shalin Zulkifli, Bowler
A professional Malaysian ten pin bowler, Shalin is no stranger to winning tournaments within the local and international scene. In 2004, she was placed in the International Bowling Hall of Fame, while also holding a degree in Sports Science. Shalin was also the youngest player and the first Malaysian to win the Ladies Open of the Kent Malaysia All-stars in 1994.
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Leong Mun Yee, Diver
From swimming classes at the age of two to embarking on her diving journey at 10-years-old, Mun Yee, remains a strong contender in the sport of diving. Having recently won the silver alongside Pandelela Rinong at the World Series in Montreal, Canada this year, the olympic stage is nothing new for her having represented Malaysia in the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
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Anja Chong, Short Track Speed Skater
Starting out in figure skating, Anja started competing professionally at the international circuit when she was just 14-years-old. She previously bagged three gold medals at the 2017 Sea Games and was the first Malaysian female to ever qualify for the ISU World Championships in 2017. Beside that, Anja also holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nottingham.
News sports added to the Barbie Olympic Games 2020 collection
On 18th February 2020, Mattel, Inc. revealed the first product collection across brands to celebrate the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. In collaboration with IOC and Tokyo 2020 the international product line will feature five new sports added to the Olympic program in Tokyo. The sports are baseball/softball, sport climbing, karate, skateboarding and surfing.
In addition to the five Barbie® Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 dolls, Barbie is introducing new sports items into the line based on Barbie Adventures Season 2, including Barbie as a swimmer, Chelsea as a soccer player, Stacie as a basketball player up to Skipper as a surfer!
Kids to compete in the Barbie Sports Championship
Meanwhile, in June 2020, Barbie will be bringing to life the first “Barbie Sports Arena” in Southeast Asia whereby activations will showcase sports-inspired activities and kids are able to experience being a real athlete.
There will also be a “Barbie Sports Championship” slated to launch in the third or fourth quarter of this year, where kids can participate in the qualifying rounds across the region. The championship winners will go on to compete in the Southeast Asia Grand Finals to represent their home country!
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