Ilona Maher Now Looking to Take Rugby—and Girls’ Fitness—to the Next Level
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA women’s team rugby player Ilona Maher suddenly became a household name.
“I think for some people when they get famous, maybe it changes who they are and who they believe themselves to be,” Maher tells Muscle & Fitness. “I just never found that to be me.I think I’m kind of a similar person I was before the Paris Olympics.”
But that was merely just the beginning.
The bronze-medal winner posed on the cover of Sports Illustrated shortly after the games wrapped. From there, Maher went on to compete on Dancing with the Stars, launch a successful podcast, and secure major partnerships with brands like Maybelline New York, Adidas and Burn Boot Camp.
Although it seems like all eyes are on Maher, very few of her fans are watching her while she’s on the field that made her a celebrity.
“Honestly, it doesn’t frustrate me because we don’t have enough places for them to watch rugby,” Maher says. “So I would tell you to watch rugby. I could tell you there’s games on this weekend, but it’s not like you tune into one game, then I’ll keep watching that team.”
Despite the lack of eyeballs on the game, much like Caitlin Clark in the WNBA, Maher is credited for helping put the game back on the map and even boosting ticket sales.
“That’s where it’s hard for me is that there’s really not a lot of opportunities to watch the game,” Maher explains. “And when they want to watch me play—a lot of people would love to watch me play, but I play in places like South Africa and then I go to Perth. So if you want to wake up at 4 in the morning to watch me play the first two minutes of a game…”
Maher Finds Ways to Balance Fame with Commitment to Team USA
Although Maher admits it’s a hard pill to swallow, she doesn’t let it discourage her and remains hopeful for the future of the sport.
“It’s a very tough thing in that I want to get more people in. I think more people should be in, but there we need more opportunities or need more things for [fans], games and in terms for them to be able to watch that are on home soil, too.”
The San Diego resident currently has her sights set on the 2028 L.A. summer games so all of her other projects get planned around her training for Team USA.
“We have meetings throughout the day and rehab and stretching to ramp the body up and whatnot,” explains Maher. “I have to do whatever timing my team says. I’m not an individual athlete that can build my life around my podcast. I have to build the podcast and everything else around my training life, I have to be in the gym at 8 a.m. with all the girls. It’s not worth it to miss a day of training when maybe something else will come up, because I do think I’m a team athlete through and through.”
Despite knowing her obligations to her teammates come first, Maher understands there’s a balance, especially to keep people intrigued in the sport for the upcoming olympic games.
“If my girls are grinding, I want to be out there grinding with them and not just taking the easy road,” Maher says. “But it is important for me to also focus on things like the podcasts or speaking, because that’s how I financially live the life I do.”
Maher admits she’s become so popular that she’s had to pass on some things to prioritize her love of the game.
“I have to say no to a lot of opportunities,” Maher says. “I will get invited to this cool event and I just have to pick my battles.”
Maher is Hoping Rugby Finds More Opportunities for Fans to Watch
Maher admits her newfound fame has created a “pretty hefty schedule,” her physical training remains her top priority. Her training schedule includes two daily on-field sessions along with a gym workout that can include speed and skills work, and up to about 20,000 steps of running. She also adds four days fo weightroom work, focusing explosive movements. The days she’s out of the gym, Maher is recovering and prepping to repeat the same schedule the following week.
The athlete says she thrives on pushing her limits in the weight room, especially with squats and bench presses.
“I like the ones where you really get to like to test yourself and see how much more you can do,” Maher says.
Despite being a professional athlete, Maher admits she still has her own personal wins in the gym.
“I do love dumb bell incline bench press,” explains Maher. “Where you do a weight and then you’re like, ‘I think I can do a little bit more weight!’ and you put a little more weight and you did and you’re like, ‘OK, I can do a little more weight. Those are the moments where I really love being in the gym”.
Off the field, Maher knows girls everywhere are looking up to her for guidance and empowerment, which is why she partnered with Burn Boot Camp to spread the message about their 45-minute high-intensity fitness classes.
“I just watched it and the energy and the way that these women came to this class, so excited to be there,” says Maher. They were high-fiving each other and they were getting stronger and it was the sort of community that I’m trying to foster and I think create, and that’s why I decided to work with this brand. Because I have so many girls who message me saying, ‘I wanna get strong. I wanna be strong like you. I just don’t know where to start and I’m intimidated by the gym.’
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