PARIS — The Americans’ stunning bronze-medal win in women’s rugby sevens Tuesday was so big even Ilona Maher didn’t know what to say. And given that she’s the rugby player with the largest social-media following in the world, for Maher to be saying little says a lot. Late Tuesday night, Instagram posts of Maher and Sedrick celebrating and waving a U.S.A. Olympic banner each got more than 220,000 likes. “It’s been enlightening just to try to break down the barriers to what people view athletes as,” Maher said. “I hope it means we get more games in stadiums like this, that we get more money and funding for the women’s game,” Maher said.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 31, 2024 22:03 UTC