Two iconic characters – one real, the other, a fictional superheroine – were blended to create an inspirational figure to involve Bolivian women in badminton.
BWF Shuttle Time and Bolivian Badminton Federation supported the project, which sought to blend Olympic champion Carolina Marin’s image with Wonder Woman, creating a new figure called ‘Carolina Maravilla’ to encourage female players at a national tournament in Bolivia. The doubles tournament, held in 2022 and 2023, also had a Best Girl Cosplay costume competition. The tournament will continue to be held this year.
Inspiration from Iconic Female Figure
The event was inspired by Carolina Marin and Wonder Woman and targeting women aged 6 to 70 who are capable of playing badminton at a competitive or recreational level.
The women’s doubles competition was conducted with equipment donated by Shuttle Time and Bolivian Badminton Federation.
A cosplay contest was held for the best ‘Carolina Maravilla’ costume, which represented Carolina Marin as Wonder Woman with her racket and shuttlecock. Each participant presented a message, with one crowned as the “Carolina Maravilla Woman.”
Women Empowerment Through Badminton
The project is expected to continue this year with an expansion into a national event, to help empower Bolivian women and challenge societal prejudices. It also encourages women and girls to overcome shyness and low self-confidence.
The initiative saw positive feedback from the public. Besides creating an impact by involving women in sports, the project aims to subtly reshape male perceptions of women within Bolivia’s traditional communities.
Many Bolivian girls and women showed strong interest in this event and sough support from the association to prepare for participation.
