While Ilona Maher is used to dominating on the rugby field, she is preparing to face tough competition in the Dancing with the stars Ballroom.
The 28-year-old Olympic participant spoke exclusively with We weekly on the red carpet of the 2024 Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 15, and revealed which of her fellow DWTS Candidates she believes are the hardest to beat.
“Dwight Howard has such charisma and he will probably have some great dance moves,” she told us. “Also Chandler (Kinney) is just a great dancer, technically gifted. So I think they’ll all bring something to the table. I think it’s about how you perform and how you do it on the day.”
Maher is one of several athletes who will compete in the 33rd season of the ABC series, including Howard, 38, Daniel Amendola and fellow Olympic participant of Paris 2024 Stephen NedoroscikHowever, Maher said he has a sporting background Us cannot always be translated into dance skills.
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“Rugby is so different from dancing,” she explained, noting that her athleticism gives her “no advantage at all” in competition.
Maher said she sees taking part in the show as a “new challenge” and is excited to step out of her “comfort zone”. She said: “I always tell girls to try something new. So for me it was ‘try rugby’. So I’m going to try dancing. And it’s tough, but I’m excited to see how far I get.”
Ilona Maher.
Amy Sussman/Getty ImagesEvery challenge requires hard work and Maher puts everything into her dance career with her professional partner, Alan Bersten“It takes a long time. Four hours a day I dance, pointing my toes, shifting my weight and smiling,” she explained. “So it’s different to what I’m used to and it takes a lot longer. But I’m learning and I love my partner, so it works.”
Maher said Us She hopes to gain new skills and personal contacts from this experience.
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“I hope to learn to dance and get to know the people I’ve met. I mean, it seems like a really great environment, just the work environment, the people you meet,” she enthused. “So I just hope I can learn so much and also take some really great friends with me.”
Maher made headlines earlier this summer with her viral social media posts about the Paris Olympics and her help the U.S. women’s rugby team bring home the first Olympic bronze medal for Team USA in women’s rugby sevens. In addition to her participation in DWTSfollowed her Olympic success by appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit‘s digital September issue.
Alan Bersten and Ilona Maher.
She has continued her popular posts by sharing insights into her DWTS preparation via social media. “It’s a close race for the hottest duo of the season,” she captioned an Instagram photo of herself and Bersten, 30, on Thursday, September 12, in which she is wearing one of the Gleb Savchenko And Brooks Nader‘s hot rehearsal photos. Bersten copied Nader’s pose by sitting on Maher’s lap and touching her thigh.
Dancing with the stars Season 33 premieres on Tuesday, September 17 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and will air simultaneously on Disney+.
With reporting by Amanda Williams
