'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
"The greatest thing that Ilona Maher's done for women and for rugby is how approachable and beautiful it can be": Chattanooga rugby club president
American rugby player Ilona Maher received heartfelt appreciation from the Chattanooga women's rugby club president, Megan Ambrose, for promoting body positivity at the Paris Olympics. Maher won the Olympic bronze with her team and left a significant impact with her opinions around normalizing make-up in a game considered 'masculine'.
Ilona Maher, 28, became a beacon of inspiration for people struggling with body positivity issues. At the 2024 Games, she and her team took a stunning victory over Australia in 14-12. Following her maiden Olympic podium, Maher reflected on the criticisms she faced for her external appearance and how she used her platform and sport to inspire young girls and women.
"I think the stereotype around a rugby player is this idea that you need to drop your femininity and play a very masculine, brutal sport. Myself and my team and some others on the circuit like Australia and Ireland, are showing that femininity...But that doesn’t take away from how amazing we tackle and hit and run. The stereotypes around women’s sports just should be thrown out the window now," she said. (via AP)
In recent news, the popularity of women's rugby was visible from the influx of applicants at the Chattanooga women's rugby club. Club president, Megan Ambrose, shared that the bronze medal win at the Olympics played an integral role in igniting interest in people.
Most importantly, she sent appreciation notes to Ilona Maher for her contribution as a body positivity advocate and for promoting the beauty of the sport.
"I think the greatest thing that Ilona Maher's done for women, and for rugby as a sport, is just shown how approachable and beautiful it can be. Her big message around body positivity and around how any body is beautiful... anybody can play rugby is something that's always been a core aspect of this sport," Ambrose said. (via Local 3 News)
She credited Maher's words for helping with recruitment, game attendance, and sponsorships after the Olympics.
Ilona Maher wants to leave a legacy off the field as well
Presently a celebrity at the Dancing With the Stars reality show, Maher desires to win DWTS and show that the prowess of female athletes goes beyond their sport.
"I think it'll just show what I've been trying to say, which is female athletes are so much more than their sport, so much more than the stereotypes that they're put in with the sport," the 29-year-old said. (via Entertainment Weekly)
Ilona Maher debuted as a player of the United States women's national rugby union team in a match against Japan in 2018. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she made her maiden Olympic appearance as a representative of Team USA.
Trending
