Ilona Maher’s teary-eyed speech after winning a historic Olympic bronze medal is straight out of a movie

Ilona Maher is having the time of her life at the Paris Olympics, and it’s seemingly because women’s rugby is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

After Maher hit a filthy stiff arm during this year’s games, word began to spread about Team USA’s women’s rugby sevens team. Their popularity even caught the eye of Jason Kelce , who was in France to watch the Olympics. Kelce eventually hooked up with Ilona and the team, promising to be a super fan, and the rest was history.

Maher took that momentum with her as Team USA battled Australia during an electric bronze medal game that ended in unbelievable walk-off fashion. The moment was so incredible that you couldn’t have scripted it if you tried. So, it’s only fitting that Ilona’s post-match speech about Team USA’s journey felt like it was straight out of a movie.

Here’s some of what she shared with tears in her eyes:

“In rugby, we say we’re just passing through the jersey and making the jersey better, and that’s always been my goal — to make this jersey better. Not just for me but for the other girls that are gonna come into the program.”

“And I want them to dream of being professional athletes. That’s what I feel like I’m giving them. Even if this is my last rugby game, I hope that there’s space for them to grow and thrive and that they experience this [because] I got to.”

Ilona also spoke about competing for her family and how “broken” she was after losing in her last Olympic competition, and I am now entirely unwell.

Not to be dramatic, but I would run through a brick wall for Ilona Maher.

More Olympics!