Illona Maher gears up for another run at gold during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics

The Burlington native is coming off her Olympic debut during the Tokyo games

The Burlington native is coming off her Olympic debut during the Tokyo games

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The Burlington native is coming off her Olympic debut during the Tokyo games

An Olympic debut marred by a global pandemic and disappointing performance was not how Burlington native Ilona Maher imagined things going in Tokyo. The United States rugby star didn't get to live out her gold medal dreams after the United States finished sixth. But that hasn't deterred her, as she's preparing for the Paris games in 2024.

The United States has already qualified, securing a spot for Maher in the next Olympics. Now, her task is to get back on the field after she broke her ankle four months ago.

"I think the hardest part is watching your teammates get better and watching them run around and get fitter," Maher said.

During a recent trip back home to Burlington, she trained at her alma mater, Burlington High School.

The Vermonter called her return trips home a mental reset, oftentimes scheduled before the start of a season. This time around, she's prepping for the next year of competition leading up to the Paris games.

"It's such a special thing we get to do," Maher said. " Through focusing on the present and the moment and the tournaments. We'll get better."

On top of training for the Olympics, Maher is active in growing her following across her social media accounts. The Burlington native has over one million followers on TikTok alone, allowing her to grow rugby along with her personal brand.

"As a female athlete, you don't get paid a lot," Maher said. "It can be very hard to get monetary sponsorships, so social media and the apps like Instagram and TikTok have allowed me to have another source of income so I can focus on rugby."

Heading into next July's games, the goal is simple for Maher and the rest of the United States rugby squad. Get to the podium, and grab a model.