3 Photos of Olympian and SI Swimsuit Cover Model Ilona Maher That We Just Can’t Get Over

The professional rugby player posed for September’s digital cover in Bellport, New York.

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

It’s been just a short amount of time since athlete and Olympian Ilona Maher joined the SI Swimsuit family as September’s digital cover model, following her travels to Bellport, New York for her brand photo shoot.

In other words, the photos are still fresh in our memory. But even if it had been longer since she set foot on the SI Swimsuit set for the first time, we’re fairly certain that there would be a few photos that remained on our minds. After all, the resulting snapshots from the photo shoot on the coast of Long Island were incredible.

The combination of photographer Ben Watts’s skill behind the lens, Maher’s talent in front of it, the excellent styling (her swimwear was stunning, to say the least) and superb backdrop on the coast of New York made for one unforgettable experience.

Plus, it gave the SI Swimsuit team the chance to get to know Maher firsthand. Sure, we’d seen her viral videos and come to love her hilarious personality and her dedication to body positivity advocacy. But sharing the SI Swimsuit set with her gave us the chance to see the talented athlete in her element—and she did not disappoint.

And, of course, it left us with stunning photos of the professional rugby player and two-time Olympian. We could never choose just one favorite from the dozens of photos captured of Maher, but we can say that the following three are at the top of our list.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by Haus of Pink Lemonaid. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

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

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