American rugby star Ilona Maher traded the pitch for the pavement this weekend; not to compete, but to cheer. The Olympian was in New York City to support her sister, Olivia Maher, who completed her first-ever marathon as part of Team Maybelline, running a distance of 26.2 miles through various locations in New York, including Staten Island and Central Park.
Ilona Maher cheered on from the sidelines as Olivia Maher ran the marathon, holding up supportive signs alongside other close friends and family.
What Message Did Ilona Maher Share While Cheering on Her Sister?
In stories shared on Ilona Maher’s Instagram, she could be seen posing with a sign that read ‘Girl Dinner, Running Winner’ alongside other close friends and family. The picture was captioned with:
“@liviemaher cheer zone is ready,”
Ilona Maher also shared a picture of Olivia halfway through the marathon, revealing that she ran 13.1 miles in a time of 2:18:36.
“Pretty girls **run like this 🙂↕️ HALF WAY!!! ✔️ ✔️ 13.1 done, 13.1 to go!! 👏👏 She’s killing her 1st marathon,” wrote the USA Eagles center.
Ilona Maher and her sisters, Olivia and Adrianna Maher, also host a podcast called “The House of Maher”. Recently, they interviewed Olympic gold medal winner and gymnast Jordan Chiles. Like Ilona Maher, Chiles also competed on “Dancing with the Stars”, ABC’s long-running celebrity dance competition, and the two athletes found common ground in their experiences.
Chiles spoke about balancing the show’s demanding schedule with Olympic training, working with a sports psychologist to strengthen her mindset, and depending on family support to navigate the pressures of elite sport.
MORE: ‘People Needed to See That’ — Jordan Chiles on the Heartfelt DWTS Dance Featuring Her Father
Ilona Maher Reveals The One Quote Made By Her Sister That She’s Always Been a Fan Of
The Rugby Sevens powerhouse recently sat down for an interview with The New York Times, where she discussed her career so far, as well as a quote made by one of her sisters that she remembers fondly. The quote was “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
“That’s one of my sister’s favorite quotes, and she would always say it, so I remember thinking about it even as a young girl. I think the comfort zone started back when I decided to play rugby. My comfort zone was softball. I could have just ended my senior year (of high school) playing softball and being fine with it, after going to endless pitching clinics and whatnot, but I took a step outside of it and played rugby. It completely changed my trajectory of life.”
The Olympic bronze medal winner also added that her dad had a favorite saying that stuck with her as well:
“My dad always says this quote about inertia and staying in the same state: “OK, look, you either stay in inertia or you can get out of it.” I just love that. Every time I’ve gotten out of it and done my own thing, it’s opened up things for me.”
After she transitioned from rugby sevens to the 15-a-side format in late 2024, signing with Bristol Bears in England to prepare, Ilona Maher last competed at the Rugby World Cup in England three months ago, where she and Team USA performed well but failed to advance from Pool A to the knockout rounds. They won one game (against Samoa), drew another (with Australia), and lost one more (to England).