Swimsuit

Ilona Maher Shares Powerful Reminders About Confidence, Taking Risks and Being Yourself

The SI Swimsuit model and Olympic rugby player has cemented herself as a champion of body positivity.

Ananya Panchal

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York.
Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Ilona Maher has become a powerful voice in the world of sports and social media, using her platform to inspire confidence and challenge societal norms. The Olympic rugby player, who took home Team USA‘s first bronze medal for rugby sevens alongside her teammates at this year’s Paris games, is constantly defying stereotypes about what it means to be a female athlete. Last month, she graced the cover of SI Swimsuit’s digital September Issue, yet again sharing her message that muscles and strong figures are sexy, too.

The 28-year-old is also bringing that message to the forefront as a contestant on Season 33 ofDancing With the Stars. On social media, Maher frequently empowers her followers to embrace their true selves. In a recent Instagram video, set to the sound of “Mama Said” by Lukas Graham, she shared a series of powerful reminders about self-confidence and taking risks.

The Vermont native’s advice reflects the mindset that has made her a trailblazer in both athletics and entertainment. Her tips are as follows:

  1. It’s O.K. to try things that scare you.
  2. It’s O.K. to want to see how strong and powerful your body can be.
  3. It’s O.K. to wear what makes you feel the most confident.
  4. It’s O.K. to do what you love even if society tells you it’s not “ladylike.”
  5. It’s O.K. to make mistakes and learn from them to become a better person.
  6. It’s O.K. to take up space and speak your mind.

“Listen to what mama says,” Maher captioned her Oct. 4 post, which featured a series of sweet, moving clips. The video included scenes of her rocking a flowy micro dress on Dancing With the Stars, showing off her back muscles in the gym, and hosting a livestream on the red carpet before the Emmy Awards. It also highlighted a fierce mid-match rugby moment, a flirty snippet of her looking confident in a satin blue dress, and finally, stunning behind the scenes footage from her SI Swimsuit photo shoot captured by BEn Watts in Bellport, N.Y.

Ilona Maher
Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by Monday Swimwear. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

“She’s healing multiple generations of women and I love it ❤️‍🩹,” Melissa Gallagher wrote in the comments section.

“How did I live without Ilona before 😭,” one fan asked.

“You’re an inspiration to women and girls around the world. Please never stop being your true self. ❤️,” another gushed.

“God is truly a woman 😍,” someone else chimed.

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

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