"I started to tear up" - Ilona Maher makes emotional confession as she recalls meeting Malala Yousafzai

Ilona Maher recently recounted the moment she met human rights activist Malala Yousafzai after a Bristol Bears game. The American revealed that she got emotional upon meeting the Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Maher is the best-known face of women's rugby in the USA. She first rose to fame during the Tokyo Olympics, and her popularity skyrocketed after the 2024 Games, where she led the United States to a bronze medal in rugby sevens.

On Friday, March 14, Maher shared a photo of herself posing with Malala Yousafzai on Instagram and recounted meeting the activist a little while ago, writing,

“This happened a bit ago but I don't fully know how to express what this interaction meant to me.”

Maher explained that Yousafzai first started following her on Instagram before showing interest in attending a rugby game. The duo finally met each other on February 15, after the Bristol Bears vs Bath Rugby match. Recounting their interaction, Ilona Maher revealed that she teared up when Yousafzai called her inspirational, writing,

“After the game, I got to meet her in person and that will be a moment I will remember for the rest of my life. While we were chatting Malala kept saying how inspirational I am and thanking me for all I've done. While I was standing there, I almost wanted to look behind me and make sure MALALA (the most inspirational powerful woman on the planet) was saying this about me. I started to tear up.”

Maher went on to thank Yousafzai while inviting the Nobel Prize winner to dinner sometime, writing,

“Meeting Malala, I also realized we're both just women who are trying to do their best in a world that can at times be pretty wild. Thank you for all you do, Malala. Let's grab dinner and talk about life sometime.”

Ilona Maher signs with Adidas

Maher at thePremiership Women's Rugby Semi Final (Image Source: Getty)

Ilona Maher first found fame on social media during the 2020 Games when she began sharing glimpses of life in the Olympic Village with fans online. Since then, the American has gone on to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics and make an appearance on season 33 of Dancing With The Stars.

Recently, Maher signed a multi-year partnership with Adidas. As part of the partnership, the American is set to be the face of a new women's rugby boot that the brand will be releasing later this year.

On the rugby field, Ilona Maher kicked off her 2025 by returning to the world of rugby 15s, playing for the Bristol Bears in the Premiership Women's League. After her short stint in the PWR, Maher will now aim to qualify for the United States team that will compete in the Rugby 15s World Cup later this year.