Maher Madness: Olympic Bronze Medalist Comes Home to Burlington 

On Saturday, August 17, at 10 a.m., Burlington will welcome Olympian Ilona Maher back to her hometown upon her return from the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. Battery Park will host a celebration of the rugby phenom’s historic bronze medal victory. Maher landed at Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport on Thursday morning and was immediately met by a cavalcade of reporters, fans and family members.

Maher helped lead the U.S. Women’s Sevens team to its first-ever medal in the event, beating Australia 14-12 in a thrilling, come-from-behind win. The Paris Games weren’t her first soirée with the Olympics, either: She competed in the Women’s Sevens at the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo but did not medal.

Maher was a standout star of this year's Olympics. While her bruising rugby highlights added to her virality, her relatable social media posts endeared her as an icon. Her references on TikTok to the hit reality show “Love Island” and Instagram posts of her dancing alongside the stars of Moulin Rouge! have catapulted her followers on social media to more than 5.5 million combined — an increase of over 3 million since the Games began.

Maher was also a guest on NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” on August 12 — her 28th birthday. The two reflected on Maher’s newfound stardom, from celebrating the closing ceremonies in Paris to seeing NFL star Jason Kelce wearing a shirt with her face all over it.
As Seven Days noted in a profile in May, the athlete was born and raised in Burlington and took up rugby with a local club as a senior at Burlington High School, from which she graduated in 2014. She went on to earn a nursing degree from Connecticut's Quinnipiac University in 2018 and a master’s in business administration from New Jersey's DeVry University. She now lives in San Diego but maintains ties to Burlington; her parents still reside in the New North End.
Maher first gained social media attention during the Tokyo Games and has since become an influencer championing body positivity for women.

"I'll do TikToks on how much I love carbs and bread," Maher told Seven Days in May, "and everyone's like, Oh, my gosh, look at this Olympian loving bread."

"I grew up in a big body like this that isn't really thought of as feminine or ... I guess, beautiful," she said. "My saving grace was sports."

Maher has used her social media platform to address negative stereotypes of women in sports, preach body positivity through videos of her enjoying food and spread awareness of the upcoming Paralympics in Paris.

“To have someone who’s been a role model for young women across the world is special,” said Dave Hartnett, a former city councilor and a volunteer coordinator for Saturday's festivities. “That she’s a hometown resident from the New North End makes it extra special.”

Saturday's events will start from her parents' home at Woodlawn Road, with a motorcade escorting Maher to Battery Park. Following that, there will be a performance of the national anthem by local trumpeter Larry Solt and a speech from Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. Maher’s former field hockey coach, Allyson Archacki, will also deliver remarks, and the Olympian will be presented with a key to Burlington High School’s athletic fields.

“We’re honored to put this together,” Hartnett said. “She’s on a tight schedule and in high demand, but the entire community is so excited to honor Maher and her entire family.”

The city’s outpouring of love for Maher won’t stop there. Burlington lawmakers are helping draft a resolution to honor the athlete in the Vermont Statehouse.

“Some of us have been following her for many years, and her messages on body positivity and being comfortable with yourself are so important,” said Rep. Carol Ode (D-Burlington), one of the legislators planning the resolution. “She speaks brilliantly, and it’s wonderful to have her as an ambassador not only for the Olympics and rugby, but for Burlington and our state.”