The 29-year-old Team USA rugby player proudly showed off her body in a viral video and declared six-packs as nothing more than decoration, saying she was “faster, stronger, and fitter” than her teammates who had them.
Two-time Olympian Ilona Maher, an athlete known for her signature blend of brutal strength on the rugby field, took to Instagram this week to show off her stomach — and there was no sign of a six-pack, something she’s totally content with.
Set to the iconic beats of Madonna’s “Vogue,” the 29-year-old athlete didn’t hit us with a highly edited gym selfie. Instead, she struck a series of proud, powerful poses in her gym fit, flexing her massive biceps, showing off her powerhouse back, and then, in a glorious moment of defiance: her “Completely Normal and Healthy Stomach,” as she walked away from the camera laughing.
The on-screen text was the perfect punchline, throwing massive shade at the influencer complex: “Posing with my completely normal and healthy stomach like those people with six packs do.”
But the caption is where she dropped the manifesto that needs to be etched into the halls of social media fame.
“I’m not saying six-packs are bad but I do firmly believe that we aren’t all meant to have them and they are not a determinant of how fit or athletic you are,” she wrote. “I am a two time Olympian in an extremely fitness based sport. Been a professional athlete for 7 years and I have never had a six pack.”
She got super real, admitting she used to get caught in the comparison trap, looking at her teammates who were visibly shredded. Her verdict? The six-pack is basically decorative. She realized that she was often “faster, stronger, and fitter than some of them.” Her message is crystal clear: your stomach is fueled by what your body needs, not by the internet’s beauty standards.
The Team USA rugby player went on to say that she learned that her “body and mind need to be properly fueled” and that “looks different for me” compared to her other teammates.
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She wrapped up her viral moment with the ultimate advice: “Be kind to your body… We aren’t all meant to be small. Take up space. See exactly what your body is capable of with or without a six-pack.”
And the internet ate it up.
The comments section exploded with adoration, with one fan calling her a healer: “Every single post you make heals me just so you know.” Another perfectly summed up the collective sigh of relief, declaring: “I just want to say on behalf of all us women we really needed you to come into our lives.”
“Wait, I have the same stomach as an Olympic athlete?”😂 quipped another commenter. “Hell yes to normalizing all types of bodies being beautiful! 🙌❤️👏”
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