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3 months ago
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Ilona Maher has taken the Paris Olympics by force with the USA rugby sevens star rapidly becoming one of the most popular figures of the Games.
The 27-year-old achieved bronze with her nation - beating Australia 14-12 in the third-placed match on Tuesday. Though, anyone of a certain vintage without a TikTok account, probably hadn't heard of her going into the Games with arguments that she could be the most famous Olympian that most haven't heard of.
However, she's a social star in her own right, who has managed to strike an alchemy between on-pitch notoriety and behind-the-screen infamy that has made her hard not to love.
Away from the pitch, she goes from promoting body positivity to posing alongside the likes of Snoop Dogg, Coco Gauff and Jason Kelce who have all appeared in her social media videos over the past few days.
She has also been taking the Games by storm on the field, making highlight reels by converting a long try from just behind her own 22-metre line during Team USA's 36-7 demolition of Japan.
Team USA's Ilona Maher has been one of the 2024 Paris Olympics' breakout personalities
Maher's (right), on-field performances have boosted her already considerable social following
Maher has posted stories on social profiles with superstar fans, including Snoop Dogg (right)
Maher celebrates after United States clinched the bronze medal on Tuesday night in Paris
Maher bullied her way through the field in that match, with a standout moment being a stiff-arm rebuff of one Japanese opponent, before streaking down the pitch to convert a try that put the US up 22-7.
Her star has been long in the making, however. Since gaining recognition the 2020 Tokyo Games – held three years ago because of the Covid pandemic – Maher has capitalised on the attention she received as an athlete and turned it into social currency.
The 27-year-old has amassed more than 1.8 million followers on both Instagram and TikTok.
This formidable combined reach means she has more followers than established Olympic stars, including Katie Ledecky and Noah Lyles. She is also the most-followed rugby player in the world - male or female.
Maher's brand of irreverent fly-on-the-wall humour has made her a relatable figure in the eyes of her following, and she has had the knowledge on how to turn this attention towards raising the agenda of her sport.
'It is really important to have a profile, and a profile for our sport,' Maher told reporters in a recent interview.
'It's about building the brand. We are female rugby players – we're not getting million dollar contracts, we're not getting paid the money that we should be.
'Me and my friends are keen on getting the sport out there and getting us noticed. It's important in the US where so much attention is on other sports.
Maher (left) makes light of meeting tennis player Coco Gauff (right) in another Instagram post
'And I think it's just about showing the personality that the women have. The game is very strong, not just for men, but for women too.'
Sport has been a constant in her life as a youngster, having played field hockey, basketball and softball in high school in her native Vermont.
She switched to rugby when she was 17 having caught the bug for it after a trial session.
Maher played as an undergraduate at Connecticut's Quinnipiac University, while pursuing a degree in nursing, before joining the US national team ahead of the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.
Life in Tokyo's Olympic Village became a muse for her social output, and it was this behind-the-scenes content that helped her following spike tenfold.
Despite Team USA finishing sixth at that Olympics, Maher knew she always had an eye on what was to come.
'First, it was a way to get my message out there, a way to get my team out there,' Maher explained, as she reflected on Tokyo.
The 27-year-old's irreverent humour has made her a hit with fans on social media
But her ruthlessness on the women's sevens pitch in Paris, has shown she can do it all
'Especially there [Tokyo], it worked to [encourage] people to tune in to our sport, get eyes on our sport. Then, personally, it's become a brand-building thing.
'I'm a female athlete in a sport that's not very big, especially in America. It's not a money-making sport … I want to make sports a career and I don't think many women can think that way.'
Fast forward to Paris, her content still very much strikes a similar tone, but a self-awareness of the influence she holds means the content has turned towards advocating for women-first issues, such as body positivity.
'I want you all to take a look at all the different body types on display,' Maher said in a post during last Friday's Olympic opening ceremony.
'All body types matter. All body types are worthy. From the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player to a shot-putter, a sprinter.
'All body types are beautiful, can do amazing things. Truly see yourself in these athletes and know that you can do it too.'
It's this kind of attitude, perhaps, that is driving praise from all corners of US sporting culture, and society as a whole.
NFL star Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens' Heisman trophy-winning running, meanwhile delivered this glowing verdict. 'She got it: Mindset, running strong and hard.
Derrick Henry, who is beginning his first year in Baltimore, was inspired by Maher's run
Team USA remain in contention for a medal-winning position, with bronze still on the table
'Not trying to go down. Get into the end zone by any means. Made me wanna get out there.'
Who knows what awaits Maher as her Team USA's sevens campaign draws to a close. Brand partnerships, prime-time chat show guest spots or major television commercials, perhaps.
But she has already left an indelible mark on two Olympics already, and it's clear her legacy will be something richer than fame: to be the inspiration for the next generation of female sport star that proves you can be it all.
English (US)