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Team USA landed a bronze medal in women’s rugby at the 2024 Paris Olympics following an incredible finish to a third-place game vs. Australia. The victory earned the nation its first ever medal in the event.
Ilona Maher was a big reason for the team’s success, and she celebrated aptly after the fact.
Maher has become everyone’s favorite Olympian this summer while representing the red, white, and blue.
On the pitch, she’s embarrassed foes with bone-breaking stiff arms.
@nbcolympics Ilona Maher went absolutely BEAST mode. #ParisOlympics #ilonamaher #usarugby #teamusa ♬ original sound – NBC Olympics & Paralympics
Away from it, she’s won fans over on social media.
A great follow, she’s provided viewers with creative content to lend an inside look at a day in the life of an Olympic athlete.
Her charisma is on full display throughout her personal TikTok page, a personality trait that helped her successfully recruit new team “superfan” Jason Kelce.
@ilonamaher
That said, there will always be haters.
Maher, despite the confidence she boasts both on and off the field, has given insight to some of the negativity she’s experienced from online fans while in Paris.
Critics of her body have been out in full force.
@ilonamaherAs long as haters keep saying dumb stuff, I’m gonna keep clapping back♬ original sound – Ilona Maher
She’s taken each situation in stride, enduring that negativity while placing the haters in their place. She did so again with a recent celebration post.
Ilona Maher was part of an exciting bronze medal win over Australia.
That game came down to the final play.
Trailing 12-7 in the final moments, the US appeared down and out, but they wouldn’t be denied!
Alex Sedrick ran 94 meters for a walk-off win that effectively secured Team USA a spot on the podium.
After the exciting victory, Ilona Maher showed off her hardware.
Delicious. pic.twitter.com/flpxWfrr1M
— Ilona Maher (@ilona_maher) July 30, 2024
“Delicious,” she wrote while taking a bite out of that medal.
It seemed to be an obvious play on the body shaming hate. She’s not worried about it! Ilona Maher isn’t only an Olympian, she’s now one of the first medal winners in US women’s rugby history.
What an awesome moment.