Ilona Maher Confirms She’s Training for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics With Passionate Message

Ilona Maher is ready to his the Olympic rugby pitch again, announcing over the weekend that she’s currently working toward competing at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Stopping by Instagram on Saturday, Nov. 7, the elite athlete shared a passionate message with followers that revealed more about the exciting news.

“The rumors are true—my cleats are back on and I’m working toward competing at the LA 2028 Olympics! 🇺🇸,” Maher penned in part. Later in the caption, she added, “Nothing is guaranteed on the road to LA28, and earning a spot on that Olympic roster will take everything I’ve got—but I’m ready to put my head down, lift the weights, do the work and see what we can do on home soil in Los Angeles.”

This bid would mark the rugby star’s third Olympics—she previously competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games and the 2024 Paris Games, taking home bronze with Team USA for the latter. With her Instagram announcement, Maher joined several other elite athletes who’ve shared plans to compete in the forthcoming event, including SI Swimsuit models Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee.

Since her star-making turn in Paris, Maher has stayed active in the rugby community. She also won the Best Breakthrough Athlete honor at the 2025 ESPY Awards, cementing her status as an athlete to watch. Outside of rugby, Maher has become a household name for her authentic social media presence and relatable humor. Plus, she was the runner-up on Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars, and she also hosts several online shows and podcasts, including House of Maher alongside her sisters and Power Hour With Ilona Maher on YouTube.

And of course, Maher is also a proud member of the SI Swimsuit family! The elite athlete made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2024 as a digital cover star, posing for an Olympic-themed shoot in Bellport, N.Y. She reunited with the magazine in Bermuda for her sophomore shoot, which earned her the 2025 Rookie of the Year honor. Most recently, she hit the shoreline in luxurious Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, for the 2026 issue.

Still, we weren’t the only ones excited to hear of Maher’s plans to return for the 2028 Los Angeles Games! The star’s comment section was quickly flooded with support from thousands of fans, fellow athletes and famous friends, all cheering on the rugby sensation.

“Let’s go 😤,” Team USA simply wrote.

“Thats my girl,” fellow rugby player Georgie Perris-Redding added.

“We bought tickets to the 2028 Rugby finals for THIS!!! LFG! 🔥🔥🔥🔥,” comedian Dana Goldberg proclaimed.

“WE ARE SO BACK,” the official LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games account concluded.

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