The 2024 Summer Olympics is arguably the vastest display of athletic physique in the world. When people think of sports, the perfect body in mind would be considered a lean and toned body. However, Ilona Maher, Olympic Bronze medalist for the USA Women’s Rugby team had her own take on this. Maher has spoken out on her social media platforms, expressing how important it is to know that we do not have to look a certain way to be beautiful.
“With apps like Instagram and TikTok, it becomes easy to let all the things you see online make you feel bad about yourself. You see influencers working out, eating healthy, looking super fit and they just seem like they have everything under control. It is hard making those expectations for ourselves all of the time, seeing people like Maher be normal, makes me feel a little better,” junior Misha Sole said.
Maher started her journey playing rugby when she was 17, later going on to play at the collegiate level at Norwich University, where she went on to win three championships. She ended up playing at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics but her most recent accomplishment was winning bronze at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Since then, she has gained popularity through platforms like TikTok, spreading the word about women’s rugby and becoming an advocate for body positivity.
Maher is a strong advocate for body positivity due to her past experiences of people trying to define who she is, defying this concept that society tries to push on her. She shows this through videos on social media of her eating a variety of foods, explaining how important it is to fuel the body.
“As a girl that plays flag football, there can be pressure around looking a certain way to have to perform a certain way. But some of the best players on my team are the ones after us to make sure we eat beforehand. It’s such an important part of being an athlete and I feel like Ilona helps people see that more,” junior Mariana Iglesias said.
Maher started spreading body positivity by using herself as the example, speaking out to hate comments calling her overweight. Using the Body Mass Index, Internet has taken her comments by storm, calling her overweight and unfit. Maher has powerfully spoken out about how a number does not limit what her and her body can do. Ending the discussion, she says “I am considered overweight, but alas, I’m going to the Olympics and you’re not,”.
“To be honest when it comes to BMI and athletes, it is very different than being unfit. In football, we have some pretty big guys but they run fast, and are a big part of our team, so it’s nice knowing that someone is trying to explain that to people,” junior Cesar Cedraro said.
Maher has kept all her fans up to date, documenting the Olympic process, showing her true-self throughout the whole experience, shown in her TikTok video,“Did the Olympics my way”. Becoming a role model to women and little girls all around the world, she is empowering them with healthy thinking and eating habits. Being able to see a strong woman speaking up, being different and then walking the walk, living confidently by the same rules she preaches, has moved more than 1.6 million people.
“I like seeing her make jokes online about food and bodies, she makes the topic lighter and comfortable in my opinion, she seems like someone I could go out to eat with and not have to order a salad, but someone that will let you be yourself,” junior Marcela Obando said.
The way Maher has spoken out has captivated a large audience. She is giving younger girls someone to look at and feel proud of, someone that will not be telling them that they have to look a certain way but instead teaching them to accept themselves and their bodies. She is a new voice on their right shoulder telling them they can do amazing things, just like anyone else. That is Maher’s voice, that is her message.
