Who is Ilona Maher? Meet the rugby bronze medallist at Paris 2024 Olympics with millions of TikTok & Instagram followers

ILONA Maher has captured the spotlight both on and off the field with her impressive athleticism and viral social media presence.

From winning a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics to using her platform for body positivity, Ilona’s story is one of resilience and empowerment that continues to inspire and engage.

Splash

Getty

Splash

Who is Ilona Maher?

Ilona Maher is an American rugby union player.

She was born on August 12, 1996, in Burlington, Vermont .

Her mother, a Dutch native, works as a nurse, and she has two sisters, Olivia and Adrianna.

Ilona participated in Little League softball and other activities.

She attended Burlington High School and went on to Quinnipiac University, where she graduated with a degree in nursing in 2018.

Ilona earned a master’s degree in business administration from DeVry University in 2022.

She began her rugby career with the South Burlington School Rugby Football Club at age 17.

Before rugby, she had played field hockey, basketball , and soccer at Burlington High School.

Her father, a former rugby player for Saint Michael’s College, encouraged her to try the sport.

At Quinnipiac University, Maher played center and helped the team win three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) championships.

She was named to the NIRA All-American team each year and won the MA Sorensen Award in 2017.

She made her debut for the United States women’s national rugby union team against Japan in 2018 and represented the U.S. at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Ilona and her team won a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics .

She has utilized her viral social media presence to advocate for body positivity and to increase awareness of women’s sports.

In 2022, she gave a TEDxTalk, and in 2024 Ilona was announced as a brand ambassador for Secret deodorant.

She also co-founded a skincare brand called Medalist.

How many medals has Ilona Maher won at the Paris 2024 Olympics?

Getty

Ilona Maher won one medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics .

She and the U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens team earned a bronze medal .

How many followers does Ilona Maher have on social media?

As of August 2024, Ilona Maher has amassed a substantial social media following, with 2 million followers on Instagram and 1.9 million on TikTok .

She recently went viral for calling out a hater , who commented on her BMI.

Ilona said in a TikTok: “It seems like you were trying to roast me, but let me set the record straight.

“I do have a BMI of 30, to be precise, it’s 29.3.

“I’ve been considered overweight my whole life.

“I chatted with my dietitian, because I go off of facts and not just what pops up here… like you do.

“We talked about BMI. And we talked about how it really isn’t helpful for athletes.

“BMI doesn’t tell you much. It just tells you your height and weight and what that equals.

“Do that math in your head — you probably can’t.

“And that BMI doesn’t really tell you what I can do.

“It doesn’t tell you what I can do on the field, how fit I am.

“It’s just a couple numbers put together.

“It doesn’t tell you how much muscle I have or anything like that.

“So, yeah. I do have a BMI of 30. I am considered overweight.

“But alas, I’m going to the Olympics and you’re not,”