U.S. rugby player Alona Maher hailed as “feminist pioneer” in swimsuit shoot

The Olympic star turned to Sports Illustrated swimsuit modeling after saying she had her sights set on next year’s World Cup in England.

American center Ilona Maher, who stole the show at the Paris Olympics and became the world’s most watched female rugby player, has been praised as a “feminist pioneer” after becoming a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model.

“Having Ilona Maher on the cover of our September digital issue is not just a celebration of her athletic achievements, it’s a powerful statement,” Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor-in-chief MJ Day said Thursday.

“Ilona is a modern-day role model of strength, conviction and integrity, and she embodies the tenacity of an inspirational person. Her ability to break barriers on and off the field is an inspiration to women everywhere. It goes deep into the heart.

“Having Ilona on the cover marks a change in the narrative that celebrates not just physical strength, but also the courage to lead, inspire and advocate for change. We are so excited and inspired by this revolutionary athlete and feminist pioneer.”

Maher, who has more than six million followers on social media and has helped popularize body positivity and the hashtag #beastbeautybrains, said she was “so happy that (rugby) taught me what I can do. It taught me how capable my body is, and that it’s not just a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

Sports Illustrated noted that during the photo shoot in Fire Island, New York, the 5-foot-10-inch-tall Maher was ready to “dress boldly, expose skin and show off her hard-earned muscles.” It weighs 200 pounds.

Now 28, Maher played rugby in her home state of Vermont and won three national championships at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. She has played sevens for the U.S. Eagles since 2018 and will compete in the 2021 and 2024 Olympics. He has been selected twice for the 15A team and recently announced plans to seek selection for next year’s Rugby World Cup in England.

Maher told her followers on TikTok, “What you saw at the Olympics is rugby sevens, this is rugby 15s. But it’s great to have variety in rugby.

“I’ll try to get there. I’ll try to get on the team and see if they can use me somewhere on the field.”

Maher was featured heavily on social media ahead of the Olympics, but her performance in Paris and her extended off-field posts made as much of an impression as her team’s dramatic run to the bronze medal.

Back in the States, headlines included “Who is Ilona Maher and why (former NFL star) Jason Kelsey is a big fan?” and “America has an Olympic shooting star — and she’s running like an NFL player.”

World Rugby CEO Alan Gilpin acknowledged Maher’s stardom, telling AFP, “There’s no question Ilona is the superstar of these games.” Point. She is the most watched rugby player. has most (if not all) of Paris’ celebrity followers, and overnight gained another 300,000 followers on Instagram and 100,000 followers on TikTok. ”

Back on American soil, Seal has been busy. Last week, he celebrated his birthday by appearing on NBC’s flagship talk show “Late Night with Seth Meyers.”

When asked how he got into rugby, Maher replied: You could probably tell by looking at my shoulders. But my dad was a rugby player, played rugby for over 40 years. It was like… they didn’t get us into rugby, but I wanted to try it.

“I was playing sports my senior year of high school, and I thought it was a sport that really encouraged physical activity and showed what your body is capable of. They want you to run as fast as you attack. I think it allowed me to express myself.

Asked how his success could influence Americans to get involved in rugby ahead of the Rugby World Cup in the U.S. in 2031 (men’s) and 2033 (women’s), Maher told Myers: “He said it was fun… to watch the game without anybody knowing what’s going on… nobody knows what a rig is, nobody knows what a scrum is. But if people see it and think it should be an interesting game to play, that’s really great.

“We want to get people into the sport because we know what it did for me, how it changed my body confidence and made me feel great, and we know it can do the same for a lot of other girls.” So I’m really excited that they can now get a taste of it and maybe go to their local club or their local college and give it a try.”