From Paris 2024 and the SI Swimsuit cover to “Dancing with the Stars” and a contract with the Bristol Bears, Ilona Maher’s life has changed dramatically in less than a year. She tells CNN how it feels to become “America’s sweetheart.

Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher is on the mend after a rough collision during a recent match with her new team, the Bristol Bears.

The USA Eagles player is also not worried about a potential U.S. ban on TikTok, a platform she has amassed over three million followers on.

Rugby star Ilona Maher is laughing through the pain as she continues to recover from a broken nose sustained during her first home start with the Bristol Bears. The Olympic bronze

Maher included a video of herself holding up a bag of ice to her face. She also lip-synched, “Been better, Carrie Ann.” (The athlete previously said the phrase last year after Dancing With The Stars judge Inaba asked why Maher was crying after she received tough feedback on her performance.)

U.S. rugby star Ilona Maher has celebrated her first start for the Bristol Bears by powering over for a try in a 41-31 victory at the Exeter Chiefs.

Ilona Maher’s impact on women’s rugby in England had been significant even before she had stepped on a rugby pitch in the country. On Sunday came the American’s time to make a telling contribution on the field of play as she scored a sensational 70-yard try in her first start for her new team.

U.S. rugby sensation Ilona Maher says rugby union needs to undergo a cultural shift if the sport is to attract new fans. Maher, who earned a bronze medal in rugby sevens with the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has more followers on social media than any other rugby player with over 8 million across Instagram and TikTok.