It didn’t take too long for Ilona Maher to climb up the ranks of social media. Leading up to the Paris Olympics, she often shared glimpses of her life with fans on Instagram. Eventually, everyone wanted to see more of her unabashed humor and confidence on their feeds. However, this started 3 years ago when the rugby star shared her hilarious take on village life during the Tokyo Olympics. Due to strict regulations, fans didn’t have access to the athletes’ village. But the Olympian decided to shake things up by being their guide on the inside.

Yet she came across a few roadblocks throughout this journey. The 28-year-old stands tall at 5’10”, and her BMI would put her under the “overweight” category (she announced that she weighs 200lbs back in July this year). Even though she’s represented the nation on the world’s biggest stage, certain fans often mocked her for what she looked like. Instead of pushing back, the rugby player uses this opportunity to educate the naysayers on what’s healthy and what isn’t. She continues to do that during her stint on Dancing With the Stars. But that isn’t what caught the community’s eye.

Ilona Maher shoots her shot at Thursday Night Football

The Paris Olympic medalist might be an athlete. But on Thursday night, she was in complete fan mode. The 28-year-old attended the Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles Rams game at the SoFi stadium with her DTWS partner, Alan Bersten. While watching the players warm up from the sidelines, she confessed, “So, I am single. If anyone’s looking?” In true Ilona fashion, she points at herself before stating, “I am ready… for love.” 

This isn’t out of the ordinary for the rugby player. Fans have often enjoyed her quirky nature. However, this had everyone rolling over in laughter. But that wasn’t the only exciting thing they experienced this week. Imagine this: a muscular woman dealing with her issues on the inside but continuing to keep a smile on her face. Does that sound familiar? Yes! We are talking about Luisa Madrigal from Encanto. It was Disney week at DWTS, and the duo decided to perform to “Surface Pressure.” They even scored their first nine.

At the Inglewood venue, the excitement was off the charts. But with Ilona in her blue and yellow Rams jersey and Alan in his purple Vikings jersey, they had everyone fired up with their friendly rivalry. The 28-year-old shared another fun video of the duo goofing around on the field. Doing what she does best, the Olympian playfully tackled her dance partner as he let out a groan. She captioned the video, “Been wanting to do this all season.” Her cheeky nature had fans truly enamored, and they couldn’t help but hype her up in the comments. What do the fans think of her banter?

Fans rally behind the Olympian’s quest for love

After bagging an Olympic bronze medal, building a strong social media presence, and dancing her heart out on stage, is love on the cards for the 28-year-old? We’ve learned to take everything she says with a pinch of salt. Even though the social media star uses her platform to educate and advocate for body positivity, a quick look-through will show that she enjoys creating funny and quirky content. However, fans were caught by surprise when she dropped her proclamation from the sidelines, and they’re all for it! 

One fan confessed, “She should definitely be the next Bachelorette!! I would start watching if they choose her! Great personality!” We get why this fan would want to see Ilona Maher on the show. Another fan strongly agreed, “@bacheloretteabc THIS IS WHO WE WANT.” So, what is “The Bachelorette?” For those not in the know, the show revolves around one woman getting to know 25 eligible bachelors over eight to ten weeks. 

Many fans already know that the rugby player does well in front of the camera, especially with her videos on Instagram and TikTok, and now the DWTS. But they believe that it would be so much more refreshing to watch her explore the dating pool (albeit a more carefully curated one) and find her ideal match.

A fan took a page out of Ilona’s book and cheekily stated, “This new season of the Bachelorette looks like the best yet.” Granted, the Olympian hasn’t been approached for a new season. But it’s fun to use your imagination. Even famous actor John Stamos’ wife, Caitlin McHugh Stamos, decided to take matters into her own hands by tagging the director. “@ken.fuchs celebrity bachelorette?” Now that we think about it, no celebrity has ever been the Bachelorette. 

The fan favorite from The Bachelor usually gets picked as the next Bachelorette. But maybe it’s time to introduce a new concept and just go with the Paris Olympics medalist instead? The fans know what they want, and it’s more of the 28-year-old’s fun, bubbly personality on their screen.

One fan has a whole list to support their point: “@bacheloretteabc I think we found our next Bachelorette!! – Great personality ✅ – Gorgeous ✅ – Great social media presence and already known and loved by Bach Nation ✅ – Won’t take any s**t from the men ✅ She’s got my vote!” Let’s be honest. At the end of the way, everyone wants to be picked, but this often leads to a lot of negativity from the contestants. 

Ilona Maher has consistently showcased that she can be fierce when required (especially on the field). She often tackles awkward situations with the same energy or kindness. It also helps that she’s already well-known, and it would be interesting to watch her navigate through uncharted waters. We definitely get why fans think her fun-loving personality would make for great TV. The Olympian could have great chemistry with just about anyone. Do you think she would be a great fit for the show?