
American rugby star Ilona Maher was running like a freight train on Sunday.
In the second half of Team USA's rugby sevens Pool C match vs. Japan, Maher returned the ball deep from her end and stiff-armed a defender en route to a try. The Americans dominated the match, winning 36-7.
BEEP BEEP @ilona_maher is in the ZONE!
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 28, 2024
: @NBCOlympics & @peacock#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/7Lulj3dYUW
The ladies of @USARugby win their first game of the #ParisOlympics
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 28, 2024
Next up: They take on Brazil at 2:00 pm ET on @CNBC & @peacock! pic.twitter.com/rvl59v53Dr
Although rugby isn't a huge sport in America, Maher went viral at the 2020 Tokyo Games when she posted a series of TikToks giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the Olympics.
Apparently, at the Paris Games, she wants to find her soulmate in the "City of Love." In a post on her TikTok and Instagram, she compared the Olympic Village to the hit reality TV show "Love Island." The video combined for 7.6 million viewers (4.8 million on TikTok and 2.8 million on Instagram)
"Perhaps no Olympian has done a better job of making a name for herself in a niche sport with a low public profile — especially in the United States — than Maher," wrote Time's Sean Gregory. "Her combined 2.5 million followers on Instagram (1.1 million and counting) and TikTok (1.4 million and same) exceeds that of established Olympic sports figures like track star Noah Lyles (950K) and seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky (701K)."
The massive social media following has helped the 27-year-old score brand deals with Secret, L'Oreal and New Era. She may receive more if she helps Team USA capture its first Olympic medal in women's rugby sevens since 1924.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!