Brains, Beauty, and a Bronze Medal: Ilona Maher
At this year’s Olympics, many athletes rose to internet fame, capturing the hearts of millions for more than just their athletic abilities. One athlete, Ilona Maher, star of the US Women’s Rugby Team, sticks out more. Known for her stiff arm and red lipstick, Ilona advocates for self-acceptance and body positivity, making her a dominant force on and off the field.
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Ilona was born in Burlington, Vermont, and did not start her rugby journey until 17. Her dad, Mike, played rugby at St. Michael’s College and always dreamed of his children falling in love with the game. Ilona expressed she was tired of playing softball and Mike encouraged her to try rugby. After her first game, Ilona said rugby fit “like a glove” and scored three tries. Ilona went on to play at Quinnipiac University, where she had tremendous success. She was named the Most Outstanding Player at NIRA Championships her senior year and was a key part in Quinnipiac’s back-to-back National Championships.
She first went viral during the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo but cemented herself as a star in Paris. Ilona entered the games with 628,000 followers on Instagram but left with 1.4 million (now at 3.7 million). Upon arriving in Paris, Ilona showed the fun she was having by comparing her time in the Olympic Village to the Love Island Villa. She also hilariously referenced Sue Sylvester when modeling Team USA’s merch. Her posts include content about fueling your body (with pastries, of course!) and showing us some special behind-the-scenes moments sightseeing around Paris.
While her social media and carefree personality may convince you that life is all fun and games for Ilona, a deeper dive proves it is not. She loves to make people laugh and smile, but Ilona also uses her platform for good, specifically advocating for body positivity. Ilona is open about the hate she receives about her own body but continuously uses that hate to fuel her fire. She posted this to clap back at one of the Brads and Chads in her comments ahead of the games. Before the Opening Ceremony, Ilona took to Instagram to remind us that all bodies can be Olympians.
Ilona also receives hate for wearing her signature red lipstick and makeup during games. Her response is simple: “It’s just something that we do to kind of say, ‘F you’ to those standards in what is thought of as a man’s sport.”
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Ilona met some friends during her time in Paris too. Jason Kelce attended the historical Bronze medal match, wearing a shirt with Ilona’s face on it, where Ilona named him the new sponsor of the US Women’s Rugby team. Snoop Dogg stopped for a photo with the star, which proved to be the duo we did not know we needed. At beach volleyball, Tom Brady approached her for a selfie! Despite these amazing new friendships, Ilona shared that her “celebrity to meet” was football’s queen, Kylie Kelce (us too, Ilona!).
Ilona’s time in Paris may be complete, but her impact is eternal. Because of Ilona, everybody knows that what you look like is the least important part of life. Everybody is beautiful, and Ilona never fails to remind us. She teaches us all to dance to the beat of our drum and to take charge of our happiness. We can all embody a small percentage of Ilona’s confidence, positivity, strength, resilience, and humor!