- Rugby star Ilona Maher is the coolest beast in Olympia.
**"Beast, Beauty, Brains", as Ilona Maher has it in her Instagram profile, translates to "Biest, Schönheit und Grips". Indeed, Maher has become the coolest "Biest" at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Why? Because she delivers on the field – the USA's rugby women brought home bronze – but also off it. Social media had already discovered the rugby player before the Olympics, but her follower numbers have been skyrocketing in recent weeks.
Ilona Maher: The New Olympic Superstar
On Instagram, she gained over a million new subscribers in the past 30 days, according to the stats site Socialblade, and nearly a million on TikTok. Her secret? She shows more than just her athletic side. The 27-year-old with broad shoulders and usually red lips clears up misconceptions and encourages (young) women to eat more and not be influenced by diet culture. She demonstrates that a high BMI says little, and emphasizes that she too can be feminine despite her broad stature. On the rugby field, Maher often wears red lipstick almost defiantly.
"It doesn't diminish your athletic abilities if you wear makeup," she told CBS Morning. She wants to keep her femininity while being a "beast on the field," Maher said. Her teammates and opponents do the same, she explained. "I see them putting on full makeup before going to rugby, and they're the toughest women in the world. It's just about not changing who I am, no matter what I do," she said.
Maher often emphasizes in her social media posts that she wants to be an inspiration for girls who don't fit the beauty standard. Important messages, especially because the messenger is cool, not preachy or arrogant. What adds to Maher's cool factor is her humor and ability to not take herself too seriously. In a video just before the Olympics, she talked about her excitement about the "Olympic Villa" she would soon be moving into and finding love there. Reminded that it's called the "Olympic Village" and she wasn't on "Love Island," Maher laughed it off. The video went viral, with nearly five million views on Instagram and nearly eight million on TikTok.
Maher also addressed the much-debated cardboard beds in Paris, meant to discourage sex. "Do you really think Olympic athletes, the best one percent in the world, are going to be deterred by cardboard? We're the best at what we do, but we see a cardboard bed and say, 'Sorry, babe, I can't get freaky tonight?'" she joked.
Maher isn't the only social media star in her family. Her sister Olivia Maher started the TikTok trend "Girl Dinner", where users film their evening meal. "Somebody said how terrible it was that in the Middle Ages all you had to eat was bread and cheese – for me, that's the perfect dinner, I call it 'Girl Dinner'!" Olivia said over a year ago.
Maher shows what it means to be more than just a top athlete today. Social media gives athletes the space to make a name for themselves, show personality, educate without preaching, and build fan relationships. No one does it better during the Olympics than Ilona Maher.
Sources: CBS Morning / Socialblade / Tiktok / Instagram
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Ilona Maher's popularity on social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, further skyrocketed during the 2024 Olympic Games, as she used her platform to challenge diet culture and encourage self-acceptance. Her engagement with fans and ability to balance her athleticism with her femininity made her a standout figure in the Olympic Village.
During the Olympic Games, Ilona Maher continued to showcase her humor and lighthearted approach to life, addressing the much-discussed cardboard beds in the Olympic Village with her characteristic humor. Her viral video about the "Olympic Villa" and finding love there showcased her ability to connect with her fans and maintain her relatability despite her growing fame.
