Though she’d never medaled at the Olympics until this year, rugby star Ilona Maher was already a Team USA favorite coming into Paris for her TikTok presence. Now though, she has been recognized for her efforts on the field after helping her US side to its first ever rugby sevens medal.
“It definitely took me a minute,” she said to CNN Sport’s Coy Wire, explaining what was going through her mind at the end of the bronze medal game. “I think I didn’t realize it, even after the final whistle blew.
“I think it was seeing my family as I was answering that question it really hit me. You know, it was three years of hard work and it paid off.
“It just shows our value, our worth that we are worthy of funding, money and of attention.”
Maher told CNN that “a couple” of glasses of wine are in order when she finally gets the chance to celebrate with her family.
Away from the rugby pitch, Maher frequently appears on TikTok to make use of her platform. She’s reliably candid and silly on the app, and though she’s clearly having the time of her life with her women’s rugby teammates, she also routinely uses TikTok to refute cruel comments about her body.
“It’s hard to be confident,” she explained. “It’s hard to be that. But if you can see somebody else do it, maybe it will help you.”
The 27-year-old wonders why it was her that was given this opportunity.
“I was just thinking about that today. It was like, ‘Why me? Why me?’” she told CNN. “It’s kind of a scary burden at times, but I’m excited to get to carry it, but just trying to stay grounded. I think ‘why me’ is because I feel comfortable sharing myself and I hope that other people resonate with it.”
Read more about some the viral stars of the Games here.
