Maher's World Cup mission — redefining women's athletic identity

Ilona Maher transcends women's rugby, giving it a profile outside of the sport in the way that Mia Hamm did for women's football.

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PARIS -

Now the stage is set at the Women's Rugby World Cup in England for the American to spark even more interest.

The 29-year-old phenomenon has attracted over eight million followers on social media, not only through her sporting exploits but also for her promotion of body positivity.

She played a pivotal role in the US women's team winning a first-ever Olympic medal, beating Australia in the third-place play-off at Paris 2024.

On the back of that achievement, Maher featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition and appeared in the US version of hit TV show Dancing With The Stars, finishing as runner-up.

The Maher-fuelled improvement of the US team attracted the attention of American investor Michele Kang, who donated US$4 million (S$5.1 million) to help develop the US women's rugby sevens team over four years.

In another sport, Kang owns the Lyon women's football team, the eight-time European champions.

Maher's days in Paris were not just spent playing rugby but also attracting even more followers with her pithy social media posts.