US Olympics star reduced to tears by vile body-shaming comments from trolls making cruel 'man' jibes

US Olympic hero Ilona Maher has spoken out about the vile comments and harsh messages she has received since being thrust into the spotlight at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 27-year-old rugby sensation helped Team USA's Rugby Sevens squad clinch a historic Bronze medal against Australia this week, marking the nation's first-ever medal in the sport.

Maher's exploits on the pitch and her engaging social media presence have won her a legion of followers. However, with the spotlight comes the darker aspect of fame, as Maher confesses she's bombarded with spiteful comments - many of them to do with her appearance.

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"I get comments being called a man and being called masculine and asking if I'm on steroids," Maher disclosed in a recent clip. "There will always be negative people out there. And they put women in a box. And they think women should be fragile and petite and quiet and meek. But that's not the case."

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She continued: "I used to get those comments all the time, people being mean or calling me a man. But now I have 2 million friends who will come after you, and take you down if you say anything mean to me. So don't even try it, because they're worse than you!"

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Thanks to her outspoken nature on social media, Maher has become a figurehead for female body positivity. She recently clapped back at a comment about her body mass index saying on TikTok: "I am considered overweight. But alas, I'm going to the Olympics and you're not."

This Bronze medal win marks a monumental moment for the US, with the last American triumph in the sport dating back a century to 1924 - when the men secured gold.

Maher stated: "We did this for our program because we say in rugby a lot that we want to pass the jersey (to the next generation). I think today we really made the jersey better so that other young girls can grow up wanting to play rugby."

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