Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi inspires new Barbie doll

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 04: Kristi Yamaguchi attends GOLD MEETS GOLDEN 2020, presented by Coca-Cola, BMW Beverly Hills And FASHWIRE, and hosted by Nicole Kidman and Nadia Comaneci, At The Virginia Robinson Gardens And Estate on January 04, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Gold Meets Golden)

Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi now has her own Barbie doll.

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Yamaguchi’s doll is dressed in Winter Olympics fashion from 1992, according to Mattel’s website. The doll is part of the company’s Barbie Inspiring Women series which is set up to pay tribute to “incredible heroines of their time.”

“[There are] so many of the small things that really make it Kristi from 1992,” Yamaguchi told People Magazine.

Yamaguchi was the first Asian-American woman to win a gold medal in figure skating, according to The Associated Press. She did so at the Olympic Games in Albertville, France, according to Mattel’s website.

“It’s a huge, huge honor. I think a lot of pride comes along with it, not just recognizing the Olympic achievement, but also being recognized during AAPI Month and following in the footsteps of some incredible women that I idolize — Anna May Wong, Maya Angelou and Rosa Parks,” Yamaguchi told the AP. “It’s hard to see me put in the category with them.”

If you want to buy a Yamaguchi-inspired Barbie doll, you can do so on Mattel’s website, at Walmart, Amazon and Target. They cost about $35.

The new dolls are available as of Wednesday in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, according to People. In honor of AAPI Heritage Month, Barbie will be splitting a $25,000 Barbie Dream Gap donation between Yamaguchi’s organization, called “Always Dream,” and “ASPIRE,” which stands for Asian Sisters Participating in Reaching Excellence.

“When kids see themselves or see someone who inspires them, then it just opens up their world and their imagination to what’s possible,” Yamaguchi told the AP, saying the doll is more than just a toy.

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