Ilona Maher Shares Mesmerizing SI Swimsuit Snaps With Most Hilarious Caption

The digital cover model traveled to Bermuda for her first in-print feature.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by Tropic of C. Dress by Cotton On. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

If an SI Swimsuit model were to be awarded for her commanding online presence, we may have to give the honor to Ilona Maher.

The Olympic Bronze medalist is not only an international rugby sensation, but she also embraces her femininity to prove that “strong is still sexy” at SI Swimsuit. Oh, and her sense of humor is the most relatable. Don't just take our word for it—we have proof.

On Monday, the digital cover model shared more snapshots from her newest shoot in Bermuda, featured in the 2025 SI Swimsuit Issue, to Instagram, hilariously captioning the post, “Me to my mom: tell dad to stay off Instagram today.”

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A post shared by Ilona Maher (@ilonamaher)

In the two frames—photographed by Ben Watts—Maher posed next to a seaside rock. In the cover slide, the athlete-model was all smiles as she knelt on the shoreline. In slide two, she tugged on the ties of her triangle bottoms while giving the camera a striking look. The model sported Puka shell necklaces in both photos.

Looking to match with Maher this summer? The Olympian wore the equator top ($90) and praia bottoms ($90), both from Tropic of C.

Commenters on Maher’s post are just as obsessed as we are. Take a look.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bermuda. Swimsuit by Tropic of C. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

“so hot,” fellow athlete-turned-SI Swimsuit model Suni Lee commented.

“obsessed,” fellow 2025 SI Swimsuit model XANDRA encouraged.

“unreal,” 2025 SI Swimsuit cover girl Olivia Dunne declared.

“YOWZAAAA,” actress and former Dancing With the Stars costar Chandler Kinney stated.

“Everytime I think I have [a] favorite a new picture DROPS,” fellow Olympic bronze medalist Sammy Sullivan shared.

While Maher’s humor attracts numerous members of her large fanbase, her authenticity is a gravitation force in her rise to stardom. The model tapped into her vulnerability with the magazine during her debut shoot in Bellport, N.Y. in 2024.

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

“I was a big girl growing up so I didn’t love being in pictures,” Maher disclosed in her cover story. “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever [...] But I never felt that way.”

Now an Olympic champion, Dancing With the Stars finalist and an SI Swimsuit digital cover model, Maher is capable of anything, taking every opportunity in stride. She credits her sport for instilling the mindset that her body is not only strong, but beautiful.

“I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is,” Maher continued. “If my cellulite was lower in that perfect range, I wouldn’t be doing what I could do.”

The 2025 SI Swimsuit magazine is available online and at select newsstands now! Get your hands on a copy here.

Ilona Maher Content. View the Full Gallery. Maher’s Digital Cover. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746140504/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jt71b5kv1szsv80tvy.jpg. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1746140509/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jt71b5qyh2kc1gsb7j.jpg. More Ilona Maher. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1733856699/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01jeryk8x6fqfxg1jenq.jpg