Meet US rugby champ, Ilona Maher, a TikTok sensation on body positivity

Ilona Maher went viral for her body positivity and self-confidence on TikTok.

Ilona Maher, an American rugby player who won recently won a bronze has become Tiktok's most famous Olympian. Not for the sport but her mind - her well-timed comic videos, commentary on sexism in sports and take on body positivity have gone viral on the social media.

Ilona Maher, the US rugby player, won her first bronze medal on Tuesday as Team USA beat Australia. Thibaud Moritz/Pool via REUTERS(via REUTERS)

Ilona won her first bronze medal on Tuesday as Team USA beat Australia with a 24-12 score. This is the first time the USA won a medal in a women's rugby match.

Who is Ilona Maher?

Maher is a native of Vermont who started her rugby journey at the age of 17. She played her first game for her country in 2018 with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team. Before this game, she played and won three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association championships for her college Quinnipiac University. In 2021, Maher participated in the Tokyo Olympics with her team where they came in the sixth position. Maher plays prop centre which is one of the larger positions in a rugby game, as reported by Forbes.

Who is Ilona Maher?

Maher is a native of Vermont who started her rugby journey at the age of 17. She played her first game for her country in 2018 with the USA Rugby World Cup Sevens team. Before this game, she played and won three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association championships for her college Quinnipiac University. In 2021, Maher participated in the Tokyo Olympics with her team where they came in the sixth position. Maher plays prop centre which is one of the larger positions in a rugby game, as reported by Forbes.

Ilona Maher’s TikTok journey to fame

While she is not the only athlete to have a huge fan base on TikTok, she has gathered an impressive community of 1.6 million followers on the platform. Since landing in Paris for the Olympic games, the 27-year-old has continued to share vlogs which have viewership ranging from 600,000 to 14 million times. One of her most beloved videos is of her comparing the Olympic Village to Villa from the popular reality show Love Island.

Her videos’ USP is her honest talks related to body positivity and her own experiences of being body shamed for being “masculine” which she shared on the platform. She In a video she shared on Friday during the Paris Olympic’s opening ceremony she said, “Take a look at all the different body types on display. All body types matter. All body types are worthy. From the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player to a shot-putter, a sprinter. All body types are beautiful and can do amazing things. Truly see yourself in these athletes and know that you can do it too.” She also has a fanbase of 3.2 million followers on Instagram.

Her fame from TikTok also brought many brand collaborations to her door as well. So far, Maher has secured brand deals with Secret and L’Oreal and featured on podcasts of fellow TikTokers. She also started a skincare line of her own along with former college swimmer Ann Ragan Kearns called Medalist.

Maher will be next seen playing against Team Britain as America moves to the quarterfinals. The match will begin at 3:30 pm EST on Monday.