Barbie have created a Dame Valerie Adams doll to honour her successes

Olympic champion Dame Valerie Adams has been given her own Barbie doll. Toy company Mattel created the doll to honour 'trail-blazing women'. Valerie is the second NZ woman to be given the honour.

Valerie spoke to the Herald about the process of getting the Barbie created...

"I'm six foot four [1.9m], I'm a big Pacific Island woman. Never in my mind would I have thought something like this would be possible," she said.

"To have them choose me was surprising but also very exciting it's an amazing campaign and I'm really honoured to be a part of it."

"They got all the details right," Valerie continued.

"When I look at the Barbie, all I see is me. The bun, the hoops, all the rest of it. My strapping I wear when I'm throwing. She looks pretty awesome if I do say so myself, she's quite amazing."

"It's a way that I can reach out to young girls here in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

"If they can see something that looks like them, it makes them feel normal - to be able to see something in their own likeness is quite exciting. I have a daughter and I have a responsibility to be a positive role model for her."