Ilona Maher’s Sports Illustrated Cover Has Us Drooling (Respectfully)

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has been known for its covers featuring some of the most influential celebrities out there. And while every cover of SI has been pretty great, there have been a few select covers that are truly iconic. Think Kate Upton’s 2013 Antarctica cover, Ashley Graham’s 2016 Turks and Caicos cover (the first to feature a plus-size model), and of course Halima Aden’s 2019 cover (the first hijabi woman to be in SI). And now that Olympian Rugby-player Ilona Maher has graced the cover, I’d say we have another one for the books.

For the September 2024 issue, Ilona is wearing a brown bikini and her trademark red lip under a heading that says, “BEAST. BEAUTY. BRAINS.” And I have to say, it’s one of the most impressive photos I’ve seen on an SI cover — and it’s not just because Ilona looks absolutely stunning (because she does). When you think of SI Swim models, you probably think of busty women with extremely tiny waists. But Ilona isn’t built like that. She has an athletic body — one that she’s also worked extremely hard for but isn’t often shown in mainstream media as a representation of a “feminine body.” But as Ilona has been saying during her Olympic journey, femininity isn’t just one thing. Although she can tackle you to the ground with no hesitation, she’s still feminine and beautiful. Duality, people!

For the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’s September Digital Issue, empowered by Maybelline, Ilona shares her response to the ridiculous comments she receives on the daily about her body and how she hopes this cover helps her get a boyfriend lol.

Ilona Maher Sports Illustrated Cover

Image Credit: Sports Illustrated/Ben Watts

Ilona’s been super vocal about her journey with self-love, especially on TikTok. When she’s not joking about trying to find love in the Olympic “Villa,” she’s talking about body positivity and clapping back at haters for making gross comments about her body. And what better way to say “fuck you” to someone trying to shame your body than being on the literal cover of Sports Illustrated? Oh, and of course a bronze Olympic medal helps.

Ilona credits rugby for helping her fall in love with her body. “I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever. But I never felt that way,” she tells SI. “But I don’t think you’re going to bully the girl who could probably beat you up in a rage. I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it’s not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

However, being a role model comes with the pressure to not disappoint her fans. “I just try to really stress like I am human,” she continues. “But I think I do really care a lot. And I do want people to like me.”

Is Ilona Maher Single?

Image Credit: Sports Illustrated/Ben Watts

If you saw Ilona’s cover and immediately felt your insides tingle, you’re not alone (seriously, just scroll through Twitter — everyone is thirsting). Sport’s Illustrated‘s Liz Plank, the writer behind Ilona’s cover story, shared that when Ilona got “a glance of the first few photos of herself, clearly pleased with how they turned out, [Ilona] quips that this cover better get her a boyfriend.” Relatable.

And because she was making jokes on TikTok on trying to find love at the Olympics, I think we’re pretty safe in assuming that she’s on the market. But for the queer girlies who are getting excited — don’t think I don’t see the “Is Ilona Maher straight?” surge in search — take a beat. In a TikTok from May of earlier this year, Ilona posted a TikTok making a joke about “guys” she dates. And with that, I’ll leave you to mourn.