Sports

Olympic breakout star Ilona Maher aims to shatter stereotypes about women athletes

Published

2 years ago

July 31, 2024

Olympic breakout star Ilona Maher aims to shatter stereotypes about women athletes

PARIS —

The Americans’ stunning bronze-medal win in women’s rugby sevens Tuesday was so big even Ilona Maher didn’t know what to say.

And given that she’s the rugby player with the largest social-media following in the world, for Maher to be saying little says a lot.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Maher said after the U.S. overcame a five-point deficit to Australia in the closing seconds to win on Alex “Spiff” Sedrick’s nearly 100-yard dash to a try, followed by her two-point conversion kick after time had expired. “I’m so tired but I’m so excited.”

Maher, a two-time Olympian who chased Sedrick across the goal line, has attracted a massive social-media following with viral videos that champion body positivity, women’s empowerment and offer humorous takes on her life as a world-class athlete.

2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games

Since March, she has more than doubled her audience on TikTok and Instagram to a nearly combined 4 million followers, which has put a spotlight on a sport that has struggled to find a foothold in the U.S. Those figures are continuing to climb now that she’s the most recognized player on the third-best team in the world. Late Tuesday night, Instagram posts of Maher and Sedrick celebrating and waving a U.S.A. Olympic banner each got more than 220,000 likes.

“It’s been enlightening just to try to break down the barriers to what people view athletes as,” Maher said. “We put athletes on a pedestal, think of them as indestructible and very strong. But also, athletes are human.

“For me, it’s just showing how human we are. I do that not only through talking about mental health and the sad days, but also being authentic in the other emotions we feel. Whether it’s the awkwardness, being weird or the fun times, the down times, I think just being really authentic, people really resonate with it.”

Social media can be a double-edged sword for athletes. It gives them a chance to promote themselves, their teams and their sports, but it also opens them up to criticism, personal attacks, hate and even racism. As a result, many avoid what Maher has embraced.

“I took a big break from social media and I stopped posting as much just because it was just stressing me out more than it was helping me,” said Nevin Harrison, a gold medalist in women’s canoe sprint three years ago in Tokyo. “But seeing someone like Ilona posting on Instagram, I’m sure a lot of girls see her and they say ‘wow, she’s really strong too and she looks gorgeous. She’s still feminine and sexy but she’s still got big muscles.’

“They see that they can become strong and they can become buff and still be gorgeous.”

United States' Ilona Maher celebrates after winning their women's quarterfinal Rugby Sevens match.

Maher, 27, first drew widespread attention on social media during the Tokyo Olympics, when the coronavirus pandemic emptied stadiums and arenas and limited interaction between the athletes, media and fans. Her videos of life in the Olympic Village broke through those barriers, showing her and teammates testing out the cardboard beds, explaining the difficulties of flirting with other Olympians and trying the deep-fried cheese in the cafeteria.

Many of the posts also have a serious side, however, and her unique, impassioned takes on mental health and other topics won Maher, who is a nurse in San Diego when she’s not playing rugby, a TED Talk platform.

She expanded her repertoire in Paris, mixing videos of her practicing her run onto the field and struggling to get out of a bean-bag chair with others featuring guest appearances by tennis star Coco Gauff, one of the U.S. flag-bearers in the opening ceremony, and former NFL player Jason Kelce.

They’re sometimes goofy, sometimes witty and sometimes heartfelt. But they’re never boring.

And if the videos have succeeded in pulling the curtain back to show what the life of a world-class athlete is like, they have also introduced a U.S. audience to rugby — especially the seven-on-seven game played in the Olympics, which is faster and shorter than rugby union, the more common version of the sport.

“The sport has a lot of stereotypes around it. It’s something that I’ve tried to debunk, if that’s the right word,” said Maher, who played field hockey, basketball and softball before switching to rugby at age 17. “Rugby’s a very physical game. But I also think you don’t have to sacrifice your femininity or your beauty playing it. That’s a little bit why I wear the lipstick when I play.

“As women, a lot of times our body has been this object to be looked at and to be objectified and I hate that there’s girls out there that feel like they don’t have a purpose for their body and so they want to change it constantly. To get into sports and a sport like rugby, a sport like canoe and track and field gives your body a purpose, shows what it can do and what it’s capable of. It’s not just something that is for others to judge.”

Ilona Maher celebrates on the podium after the U.S. women's rugby sevens team won bronze at the Paris Olympics.

But Tuesday’s upset over one of the pre-Olympic favorites, which gave the U.S. its first-ever medal in rugby sevens, not only expanded Maher’s platform, it also gave the sport at least one powerful and deep-pocketed supporter. Less than two hours after the final game at a sold-out Stade de France, USA Rugby sent out a photo of Maher, bronze medal hanging from her neck, with Michele Kang, a businesswoman and investor who owns women’s soccer teams in England, France and the U.S.

Kang, the release said, had agreed to donate $4 million to the women’s team to fund its preparations for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I hope it means we get more games in stadiums like this, that we get more money and funding for the women’s game,” Maher said. “We deserve it. We need more girls in the U.S. trying rugby and seeing what it can do for them.”

Sports

J.T. Poston posts a 12 on a single hole at Travelers Championship in stunning meltdown

Published

3 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

J.T. Poston posts a 12 on a single hole at Travelers Championship in stunning meltdown

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Golf humbles many, including those who are the best in the world.

Just ask J.T. Poston at the Travelers Championship on Sunday.

What started out as a chance to put a low score on the card at the 13th hole after getting greenside in two shots, Poston, the world No. 32 in the Official World Golf Ranking, posted a 12 in an absolute meltdown that derailed his entire day.

J.T. Poston plays a shot from the first tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 25, 2026. (Jordan Bank/Getty Images)

While Poston may not have been in contention, he wasn’t picturing himself at the bottom of the leaderboard by the end of the tournament, but the 12 was the main reason behind finishing 6-over and 1-over on the tournament for 69th place out of the remaining 72 that made the cut.

So, what exactly happened to Poston?

MICROPHONE ENDURES GOLFER SHANE LOWRY’S WRATH DURING MELTDOWN AT US OPEN

Well, the 13th hole began with a perfect tee shot that found the middle of the fairway. Then, his second shot found a greenside bunker, but professionals sometimes don’t mind finding those bunkers because of how great their short game is. A good bunker shot and Poston has a chance at birdie on the par-5.

But things went awry from there, as the bunker shot came out quite short, leaving him with a chipping situation. Again, professionals understand that’s not the end of the world, with a chance at par after a solid chip.

The nightmare was just beginning for Poston, though, as his fourth shot went clear across the green and ended up in the water on the other side.

From there, Poston had to drop not once, but three separate times because he couldn’t get his ball back on the green. On his 10th stroke, he finally got the ball into a putting position.

J.T. Poston stands on the first tee box during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour)

Poston still had to keep going, putting his 11th stroke and missing it before a tap-in 12 and ending the meltdown in front of the fans.

Poston spoke about the multiple drop balls near the water that continued to roll back into the drink.

“It’s not really rough, where you can kind of blast it out,” Poston said, per Golfweek. “It’s into the grain, but it looks like you can get enough golf ball on it, which is why I kept trying to hit a good chip.”

Poston was asked if he even thought about putting it out of the greenside rough with his chips clearly not working out.

“I feel like it’s just going to hop and that takes all the speed out of it,” he responded. “And you’ve got this big false front you got to get it over. So my worry with trying to putt it was it would not have enough speed to really get there.”

J.T. Poston plays a tee shot on the first hole during the second round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., on June 26, 2026. (Ben Jared/PGA Tour)

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Poston didn’t bounce back on the 14th hole either, as he posted a double bogey on the par-4 to put himself down even more. In the end, Poston posted a 76 on the day to finish off his tournament.

Meanwhile, the Travelers Championship will come down to a playoff that must be played on Monday after Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler found themselves deadlocked at 21-under after the latter sank a putt to force it. Hovland’s putt to win it all just missed and Scheffler took advantage of the open opportunity.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Wife, kids of Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas in Caracas when earthquakes hit Venezuela

Published

4 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

Wife, kids of Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas in Caracas when earthquakes hit Venezuela

Less than two hours before the Dodgers took the field in Minneapolis on Wednesday, a pair of powerful earthquakes rattled Venezuela, where the wife and two kids of Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas were visiting and where his sister lives.

The successive magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes left the country’s northern coastal state of La Guaira in ruins, collapsing more than 770 buildings and killing at least 1,450 people, local authorities said Sunday.

All of Rojas’ family members were OK, the Venezuelan native told reporters ahead of Friday’s game against the Padres in San Diego.

“Literally two blocks away from where my family was, two buildings collapsed — the whole building,” he said. “I’m lucky, to be honest with you guys. I’m really lucky to have my family still alive and with me. I’m not taking this for granted.”

Rojas’ wife and kids were in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, which is only about six miles south of the destruction along the coast. His wife was there to renew her passport, and the kids were going to try to get Venezuelan citizenship. His sister was in Los Teques, Rojas’ hometown about 17 miles south of the coastal destruction.

Rescue workers search through rubble on Saturday in Catia La Mar following the devastating double earthquakes.

(Fernando Vergara / Associated Press)

“It’s really tough to see teammates of mine and players that I played with at some point in my career to lose family members, to lose kids,” said Rojas, who had spent years playing baseball in La Guaira. “It’s really devastating. It’s been really hard for me to go to sleep at night.”

Rojas, on Friday, said he was talking daily with his family members, who were still in Venezuela. He hoped to bring them back to the United States as soon as possible. Aftershocks continued to rattle the country into Sunday morning.

As the Dodgers and Padres started their series in Petco Park on Friday, both teams wore caps with the letters “VZ” embroidered on the side to honor the people of Venezuela as the road to recovery begins.

“That means a lot because both teams will be doing it — it means a lot, because it brings awareness,” Rojas said.

“We are on one of the biggest stages in sports, and I really appreciate what the Dodgers do to support us,” he added. “It’s not just what happens now, it’s what’s going to happen in the future. It’s going to take a long time for people to recover.”

Times staff writer Maddie Lee contributed to this report.

Sports

WWE NXT The Great American Bash 2026 preview, predictions and more

Published

13 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Press Room

WWE NXT The Great American Bash 2026 preview, predictions and more

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A Sunday of pro wrestling will not be complete without looking over the card for WWE NXT’s The Great American Bash, taking place at WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

The card will feature five championship matches and two others among four people with scores to settle. The anticipation is building and there are sure to be fireworks during these matches.

It will be the first NXT premium live event broadcast on the CW Network. The show begins at 7 p.m. ET.

Read below for a preview of the matches and predictions.

Shiloh Hill vs. Tristan Angels

Tristan Angels takes Shiloh Hill’s Mr. NXT sash during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, on June 9, 2026. (Matt Pendleton/WWE)

Tristan Angels will hope to keep his vanity at bay just a few minutes as he battles Shiloh Hill on Sunday night. Angels has been one of the newest members of the NXT roster already making an impact. He’s run into Shiloh Hill as of late. Hill was named Mr. NXT, which angered Angels and led to a blindside assault. Their feud heads to The Great American Bash.

Prediction: Tristan Angels announces his presence with authority.

Saquon Shugars vs. Dion Lennox

Saquon Shugars speaks during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., on June 23, 2026. (Andrea Kellaway/WWE)

DarkState tossed Saquon Shugars out of the group earlier this month and it sparked a feud between him and Dion Lennox. The two men traumatized the NXT roster together and while DarkState might fizzle without Shugars, Lennox is looking to keep its momentum going. The two are set to put the bash in The Great American Bash.

Prediction: Saquon Shugars defeats Dion Lennox.

Myles Borne (c) vs. Tavion Heights for the NXT North American Championship

Myles Borne competes against Dion Lennox during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, on April 21, 2026. (Matt Pendleton/WWE via Getty Images)

Myles Borne has been a really good representative of what an NXT North American champion should be. Borne defeated Ethan Page to win the title back in February and has put away each opponent, including Johnny Gargano and Dion Lennox in TV title defenses. Tavion Heights is a beast that Borne hasn’t faced before. Heights beat Jackson Drake on his way to earning the title shot. He already had a chance to win the title against Page at No Mercy last year, but came up short. Will anyone stop him Sunday night?

Prediction: Myles Borne retains the title.

Wren Sinclair (c) vs. Arianna Grace for the WWE Women’s Speed Championship

Wren Sinclair wins the WWE Women’s Speed Championship during NXT at the 713 Music Hall in Houston, Texas, on March 17, 2026. (Meg Oliphant/WWE)

Wren Sinclair has been the proud holder of the WWE Women’s Speed Championship since she defeated Fallon Henley for the belt back in March. She puts the title on the line against Arianna Grace, who is a few weeks from losing the TNA Knockouts World Championship to Lei Ying Lee. Grace would love to get a championship back around her waist.

Prediction: Wren Sinclair retains the title.

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Zaria (c) vs. Tatum Paxley for the NXT Women’s North American Championship

Zaria attacks Lizzy Rain during an NXT match at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., on May 19, 2026. (Andrea Kellaway/WWE)

It’s a rematch with the NXT Women’s North American Championship on the line. Zaria stunned NXT fans when she defeated Tatum Paxley for the title a few weeks ago. Paxley has not just withered away into the shadows. She’s back and looking for a fight. The match will take place at The Great American Bash.

Prediction: Zaria defeats Tatum Paxley.

Tony D’Angelo (c) vs. Naraku for the NXT Championship

Tony D’Angelo and Naraku face off during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., on May 27, 2026. (Andrea Kellaway/WWE)

Tony D’Angelo told Fox News Digital before his match with Naraku that he was keeping his head on a swivel for any shenanigans from Naraku. He obviously didn’t see a fireball shoot into his face during the official contract signing. D’Angelo has a lot of things to keep his eye on. Naraku is looking to make a statement with a win.

Prediction: Tony D’Angelo retains the title.

Lola Vice (c) vs. Kendal Grey for the NXT Women’s Championship

Lola Vice competes against Izzi Dame during NXT at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, on May 27, 2026. (Andrea Kellaway/WWE)

Lola Vice has been no fluke as the NXT women’s champion since she won the belt at Stand & Deliver over Kendal Grey and Jacy Jayne. Grey has come all the way back from the loss and earned the No. 1 contender spot. Grey is the challenger everyone in pro wrestling has their eye on. She’s perceived as the future of women’s wrestling in WWE. Sunday night will be something to watch.

Prediction: Kendal Grey wins the NXT Women’s Championship.

Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.