This Fellow Olympian and SI Swimsuit Model Calls Ilona Maher Her ‘Role Model’

The pro rugby player and September digital issue cover star just landed a spot on the 2024 TIME100 Next list.

Ilona Maher / Gilbert Flores/Getty Images

Fresh off her historic Olympic bronze medal win (and Team USA’s first ever in rugby sevens) Ilona Maher quickly went viral for her body-positive messaging and sharp sense of humor on social media. Soon after, she graced the cover of SI Swimsuit’s September digital issue, making waves in the industry as she proudly showcased her hard-earned muscles and challenged conventional beauty standards. The Vermont native then took on a new challenge: competing on Dancing With the Stars. Just two weeks in, and she’s already impressing fans with her natural talent despite having no prior dance experience.

Now, at 28, Maher has achieved another monumental milestone: earning a coveted spot on the 2024 TIME100 Next list.

The coolest part? A fellow SI Swimsuit model and Olympic athlete had the honor of writing the tribute that accompanies Maher’s spot on the list—and retired professional alpine skiier Lindsey Vonn, who made history last year by becoming the first woman to ski the Streif in Kitzbühel, Austria, had the sweetest words to say about Maher.

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

“Many women, including myself, have tried to advocate for strong women of all shapes and sizes, but Ilona has taken that to a whole new level. She represents not just physical strength but also what internal confidence looks like. Her Paris Olympics journey was unmissable online, and it’s clear why. She is open, honest and unafraid to tell people how it is. She works hard, shows her muscles [and] recently posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit,” the 39-year-old, who posed for the 2010, ’16 and ’19 magazines, wrote. “ ... In a social media world of fake perfection and judgment, Ilona is showing the next generation of women that every shape and size can be both strong and beautiful ... I’m so proud to have someone like her represent our country and be a role model for so many women, including me.”

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

Maher, who posed for photographer Ben Watts on Fire Island Beach in Bellport, N.Y., last month, represents a powerful shift in the narrative, challenging outdated standards of beauty, strength and femininity. As an elite athlete, model and content creator, she embodies a new kind of role model: one that embraces authenticity and proves women can be not only multifaceted, but thrive across a range of pursuits.

Read her cover story here, and check out her SI Swimsuit images here.