Model, Olympian Ilona Maher Takes Fans Through the Ins and Outs of Her Cell Phone

SI Swimsuit’s digital September issue cover star divulged some hilarious stories in her phone tour footage.

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

Olympic rugby player Ilona Maher had an absolute blast while on location in Bellport, New York with the SI Swimsuit team. The 2024 Olympic bronze medalist is the new cover model for our digital September issue, and it was immediately clear why Maher has become such a fan and internet favorite over the past few months.

The Vermont native is constantly defying stereotypes about what it means to be a female athlete, while also using her platform to advocate for body positivity and share her lighthearted comedic side.

While on location with the team, in between her cover story interview and breathtaking photo shoot with Ben Watts on Fire Island Beach, the 28-year-old sat down to film a phone tour. She took SI Swimsuit through the ins and outs of her personal device and divulged some fun details and stories.

Maher’s most-used emoji

Maher loves the heart hands emoji: 🫶. “I use heart hands all the time. I love that little thing,” she said. “It’s almost like a chill ‘I love you.’”

Maher’s lock screen photo

Her lock screen image is a sweet selfie of her and her mother, Mieneke Maher, from Christmas. “Everyone says we look a like, well [people] say I’m a true lookalike between my mom and my dad, like perfect,” she added.

The most recent photo in Maher‘s camera roll

The latest pic in her camera roll at the time was of a stunning image from her SI Swimsuit photo shoot that she snapped on the monitor to send to her family. It was a breathtaking image of Maher in an asymmetrical chest-baring black and white one-piece from LET’S SWIM.

“I sent it to my mom, aunt and oma (grandmother) and I was like ‘you guys gotta take a look at this one’ just because I loved it so much,” Maher stated.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by LET’S SWIM. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Most famous person to DM Maher

Singer P!nk sent Maher a sweet message applauding one of her TikTok videos addressing internet trolls.

“I think she gets a lot of that as well,” Maher said. “So to have somebody like that message me and say such nice things, it just shows [I’m] you know, sending the right messages out. P!nk, love you so much. Look, she wrote a whole paragraph. That‘s my girl.”

Maher’s most recent notes app draft

She offered a disclaimer that her notes app is a “chaotic space.” The most recent creation, however, was a hilarious list of Maher planning out all the ways she and her rugby teammates could test out the cardboard beds for a TikTok that obviously went viral.

“Bicycle [moves], Irish jig, giving birth, the ‘Grind on me’ dance, handstand,” were all contenders that made the list and the video. Watch the TikTok here.

Click here to view Maher’s gallery and here to read her cover story.