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\n Related: <\/span>Who Is Ilona Maher? Meet the TikTok-Famous Team USA Rugby Star<\/span><\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tMike Coppola\/Getty Images Olympian Ilona Maher has made an impression for her rugby talent and for her hot takes online. Maher, 27, started playing rugby in high school before making a name for herself as a collegiate athlete. She eventually caught the attention of coaches Richie Walker and Emilie Bydwell, who chose her to join [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Hart teased, \u201cI think it was Hemingway who said, \u2018Write drunk, edit sober,’\u201d which Maher confirmed is how she got started.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s so many little fun stories to share,\u201d the rugby star continued. \u201cSo it\u2019s been really cool to write and cathartic, in a way.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to her sister and cohost Olivia Maher<\/strong>, there\u2019s more layers to Ilona<\/a> than her sports persona shows. \u201cI remember after you read [Mamrie\u2019s books], you were like, \u2018This is what I kind of want my book to feel like,’\u201d Olivia (known online for creating the \u201cgirl dinner\u201d trend) said on Tuesday. \u201cLike, \u2018I want it to be my personal anecdotes.\u2019 It doesn\u2019t need to be, like, sports and the grind and the rise, it\u2019s also where you\u2019ve made mistakes and you\u2019ve gotten better or you\u2019ve learned and the relationship you come from.\u201d<\/p>\n\n![\"Ilona](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Ilona-Maher-Has-Been-Writing-A-Book-For-a-While-2.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Olivia and Ilona Maher<\/span> Ilona Maher\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWhile Ilona became more of a household name during the 2024 Olympics<\/a> in Paris \u2014 where she helped the U.S. women\u2019s rugby team win its first-ever Olympic medal \u2014 she was already a trendsetter in the sport. She previously made her Olympic debut in 2021 at the Tokyo Games and is a vocal advocate for topics like body image and inclusion both on and off the field. Ilona has also used her trademark red lipstick<\/a> to send an important message.<\/p>\n\u201cIt doesn\u2019t take away from your athletic ability if you wear makeup,\u201d she told CBS Mornings<\/em> last summer. \u201cIf you want to put on a full face of makeup to go tackle people, good on you if you\u2019re doing it. So for me, it was almost like a \u2018stick it to the man\u2019 type [of thing]. \u2026 You don\u2019t have to sacrifice your femininity to play any sport.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n Olivia and Ilona Maher<\/span> Ilona Maher\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
While Ilona became more of a household name during the 2024 Olympics<\/a> in Paris \u2014 where she helped the U.S. women\u2019s rugby team win its first-ever Olympic medal \u2014 she was already a trendsetter in the sport. She previously made her Olympic debut in 2021 at the Tokyo Games and is a vocal advocate for topics like body image and inclusion both on and off the field. Ilona has also used her trademark red lipstick<\/a> to send an important message.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t take away from your athletic ability if you wear makeup,\u201d she told CBS Mornings<\/em> last summer. \u201cIf you want to put on a full face of makeup to go tackle people, good on you if you\u2019re doing it. So for me, it was almost like a \u2018stick it to the man\u2019 type [of thing]. \u2026 You don\u2019t have to sacrifice your femininity to play any sport.\u201d<\/p>\n You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\nThank You!<\/h3>\n
![\"Ilona](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Ilona-Maher-Was-Super-Drunk-at-Olympics-Closing-Ceremony-in-Paris.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1476px%2C834px&resize=400%2C225&quality=86&strip=all\")
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