Ilona Maher is gearing up to represent Team USA for the first time since the Paris Olympics. As the American prepares for her rugby 15s outing, her Dancing With The Stars partner, Alan Bersten, was quick to show his support.
Maher and Bersten were paired up on season 33 of DWTS, after the rugby star signed with the show post her bronze-medal winning campaign at the Paris Olympics. The duo quickly developed a close bond, and their friendship was an instant hit with fans.
Now, Ilona Maher is gearing up to return to the rugby field to represent Team USA. The 28-year-old has been named to the nation’s rugby 15s squad for upcoming Pacific Four Series. On Saturday, April 26, Maher shared a glimpse of herself in the Eagles’ uniform, writing on Instagram,
“Description: USA Rugby player rolls out of bed to take roster pictures and doesn’t even run a brush through her hair.”
Reacting to Maher’s post, Alan Bersten extended his congratulations in the comments section, writing,
“Lol!! Congrats. 🎊 USA.”
Maher has focused primarily on the rugby sevens event for the past few years, but recently made a return to rugby 15s as she hopes to qualify for the upcoming 2025 World Cup which will take place in England later this year.
Alan Bersten reveals how how Ilona Maher brought her rugby mentality to Dancing With The Stars
Ilona Maher is a force to be reckoned with on the rugby field, and her incredible skills helped lead Team USA to the bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. After the Games, Maher joined Alan Bersten on Dancing With The Stars, but she initially struggled with the new challenge.
Maher and Bersten’s first performance on the show saw them score an 18 out of a possible 30. However, the duo soon turned the tide, and eventually made it all the way to the finals, where they finished second after scoring a perfect 30 in their last dance.
Recently, in an appearance on the House of Maher podcast, Alan Bersten revealed how the Olympic medalist brought her rugby mentality to the dance stage, saying (at 19:20),
“I think we realized like you started thinking of it as a game, like as a rugby game. And she would do the same thing before we would walk on the stage. There’s a little staircase there and she would sit down there and visualize.”
After wrapping up season 33 of Dancing With The Stars, Ilona Maher and Alan Bersten have maintained their close friendship, even reuniting for the DWTS Tour.
alt=”Riddhi Acharya” height=”72″ width=”72″>
Edited by Riddhi Acharya
