Ilona Maher: new star of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit!
29 august 2024 в 07:13
Ilona Maher has already made a name for herself both on the field and beyond.
Now, the Olympic champion adds another achievement by appearing on the cover of the digital September issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
«Having Ilona on our cover symbolizes a change in storytelling — one that celebrates not only physical strength, but also the courage to lead, inspire, and advocate for change», - said SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief Mary Day in the September issue, supported by Maybelline. «We couldn’t be more inspired by this revolutionary athlete and feminist pioneer!»
Maher joins names such as Livvy Dunn, Angel Riz, and Naomi Osaka, who have all showcased their athletic figures for Sports Illustrated in recent years.
«Ilona Maher on the cover of our September digital issue is not just a celebration of her athletic achievements, it is a powerful statement», - added Day.
The 28-year-old athlete, who has 3.8 million followers on Instagram, has become one of the most popular athletes at the 2024 Games. Her TikTok videos from the Olympic village constantly garnered over 100,000 likes, and one video attracted significant attention when Maher responded to a comment, which has since been deleted, saying, «I'm sure this person has a body mass index of 30%».
«Hi, thank you for this comment. I think you were trying to make fun of me, but it’s a fact. I really do have a body mass index of 30. Well, more like 29.3», - confidently replied Maher in her video, which has been viewed over 8 million times and liked over 1.2 million times.
As a social media star, Maher advocates for women’s rights in sports and continues to fight against stereotypes about female athletes.
«I have always been called masculine or something like that», - Maher told SI. «But I never felt that way. But I don’t think you can make fun of a girl who could probably beat you in a fight. I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is, and it’s not just an instrument to be looked at and objectified».
Maher, who earlier this summer led the US team to their first bronze Olympic medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Games, also told SI about the wage gap between male and female rugby players.
«[Men] play rugby and make millions of dollars, while we get minimum wage, and it’s not going to be a career for us», - she said. «My teammates are starting their jobs now, while those guys down there, and rugby — that’s all [for them]»
Now, the Olympic champion adds another achievement by appearing on the cover of the digital September issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.
«Having Ilona on our cover symbolizes a change in storytelling — one that celebrates not only physical strength, but also the courage to lead, inspire, and advocate for change», - said SI Swimsuit editor-in-chief Mary Day in the September issue, supported by Maybelline. «We couldn’t be more inspired by this revolutionary athlete and feminist pioneer!»
Maher joins names such as Livvy Dunn, Angel Riz, and Naomi Osaka, who have all showcased their athletic figures for Sports Illustrated in recent years.
«Ilona Maher on the cover of our September digital issue is not just a celebration of her athletic achievements, it is a powerful statement», - added Day.
The 28-year-old athlete, who has 3.8 million followers on Instagram, has become one of the most popular athletes at the 2024 Games. Her TikTok videos from the Olympic village constantly garnered over 100,000 likes, and one video attracted significant attention when Maher responded to a comment, which has since been deleted, saying, «I'm sure this person has a body mass index of 30%».
«Hi, thank you for this comment. I think you were trying to make fun of me, but it’s a fact. I really do have a body mass index of 30. Well, more like 29.3», - confidently replied Maher in her video, which has been viewed over 8 million times and liked over 1.2 million times.
As a social media star, Maher advocates for women’s rights in sports and continues to fight against stereotypes about female athletes.
«I have always been called masculine or something like that», - Maher told SI. «But I never felt that way. But I don’t think you can make fun of a girl who could probably beat you in a fight. I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is, and it’s not just an instrument to be looked at and objectified».
Maher, who earlier this summer led the US team to their first bronze Olympic medal in rugby sevens at the Paris Games, also told SI about the wage gap between male and female rugby players.
«[Men] play rugby and make millions of dollars, while we get minimum wage, and it’s not going to be a career for us», - she said. «My teammates are starting their jobs now, while those guys down there, and rugby — that’s all [for them]»
© Artemenko Olga
