In Pictures: Ilona Maher shares glimpses of private jet journey with Stephen Nedoroscik, Alan Bersten and others as she addresses a rumor about her

After finishing second on season 33 of Dancing With The Stars, Ilona Maher enjoyed a ride on a private jet alongside Stephen Nedoroscik, Alan Bersten, and more. She shared snaps of the journey with fans while addressing a hilarious rumor about herself.

Maher rose to fame after the Paris Olympics, where she helped Team USA clinch bronze in rugby sevens. This marked the nation's maiden medal in the event. At the Games, the 28-year-old was an absolute powerhouse, scoring ties in all USA’s group stage matches, before helping the team beat 2016 Olympic champions Australia in the bronze medal battle.

After her exploits at the 2024 Games, Ilona Maher catapulted into the spotlight, and joined the cast of season 33 of Dancing With The Stars, partnering Alan Bersten. This made the American the first rugby player to appear on the show.

After some amazing performances, Maher and Bersten finished second on the show, behind The Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and his partner Jenna Johnson. The rugby star is now enjoying a private jet ride alongside Bersten, Garziadei, Johnson, and fellow DWTS stars Stephen Nedoroscik, Danny Amendola, and Chandler Kinney.

She shared snaps from the ride on her Instagram, writing,

“Team No Sleep. To be clear: In that last photo, I spilled beer on myself. That is not pee. Don't spread that rumor around.”

Maher reflects on her Dancing With The Stars journey

Ilona Maher on her Dancing With The Stars journey (Image Source: Getty)

Ilona Maher put on many impressive performances in her time on Dancing With The Stars, showing consistent improvement throughout the show. As the journey came to an end, the rugby star penned a heartfelt note reflecting on her journey, writing on Instagram,

“What a wild, intense, insane ride it has been. I met so many fantastic people and had the experience of a lifetime. Turns out, I'm not a natural ballroom dancer, but I'm so proud of myself for how I've improved and to where I've come. These are two very different people in these photos. Thanks for embarking on this journey with me. Ilona over and out.”

In a separate post, Maher also thanked her fans and DWTS partner Alan Bersten, writing

“Thank you for everything, guys. You voting is the reason we got to 2nd place. Of course, it's no first but honestly we won in many other ways. So lucky to have been partnered together and shared this amazing journey. We will remember this forever.”

Overall, Ilona Maher put up several exciting displays on Dancing With The Stars. On finals day, she and Bersten scored 57 out of 60 for their jive and freestyle performances, marking the highest score the pair had achieved on the show.