Ilona Maher gushes over young fans' posters as they extend their support to the Olympian amid Bristol Bears' appearance

Ilona Maher recently connected with her young fans during a Bristol Bears vs Exeter Chiefs match. After the 2024 Olympics and her appearance on Dancing with the Stars (DWTS), she signed a three-month contract with Bristol Bears and moved to the UK for further training and matches.

The Olympic bronze medalist made an impressive debut in rugby 15s for Bristol Bears in the Premiership Women's Rugby. On January 12, she helped them secure a 41-31 win over the Exeter Chiefs. She assisted a try for teammate Meg Varley and scored her first try in the PWR.

Maher took to her Instagram stories to embrace her young supporters at the match. Despite holding Exeter Chiefs boards, the fans expressed their admiration for the rugby player. She captioned her Instagram story:

"The cutest fans."

Screenshot of Ilona Maher's Instagram Story/ Source: Instagram/ @ilonamaher

The Bears took an early lead with a try from Phoebe Murray, followed by a penalty try and touchdown by Reneeqa Bonner, giving them a 19-14 advantage at halftime. Despite Exeter's Taylor Perry narrowing the margin with a try, Bristol maintained control.

Ilona Maher's standout moment came when she broke through two tackles to score her first try for her team, extending their lead. Exeter applied pressure with tries from Alex Tessier and MacDonald, but Bristol's resilience secured the win.

During the DWTS show in November 2024, Maher spoke about the unwavering support from her fans.

Ilona Maher reflects on ways fans support their favorite personalities

Ilona Maher during Bristol Bears v Gloucester-Hartpury - Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby - Source: Getty

In an interview with Access in November 2024, the rugby player shared a piece of wisdom she gained during her DWTS journey. She emphasized the importance of authenticity and showing all sides of yourself.

She further explained that fans are connected with vulnerability, imperfection, and raw emotions such as crying and expressing anger. Reflecting on this fan support, the interviewer asked the bronze medalist:

"What is one piece of wisdom you learned this season that you hope fans can take away or that you want to give to fans." (0:32 onwards)

"One piece of wisdom you take away from dance that people truly just want to see all sides of you. They don't mind when you're vulnerable. They don't mind when you cry. They don't mind when you make mistakes, like it's such a human experience and I think people really resonate with that. So, shed the tears when you want to shed the tears. Be angry when you're angry. Feel all the feels," Maher said.

Ilona Maher partnered with Alan Bersten in the 33rd season of DWTS and finished as runner-up.