Ilona Maher seems to be going through a Midas touch phase at the moment. The rugby icon recently decided to explore the realms of dancing. Having faced a significant amount of criticism about her muscular body, Maher’s decision to enter the Dancing With The Stars was also met with some scathing comments. However, the rugby icon made it clear that she was no professional dancer. Maher even mentioned that having zero knowledge of the art form, she was trying hard to learn and grow with each passing day. 

Thankfully, the rugby union athlete got Alan Bersten as her DWTS partner. Guiding Maher with the titbits of dancing, Bersten and Maher soon became a hit among the fans. And while their dancing journey is looking to prosper, Maher has landed yet another significant achievement in her professional field. 

In a recent update, the 28-year-old was named in the Women’s Sevens Dream Team of the Year. This is a huge achievement, as Maher had a fantastic season this year. Competing in her second Olympics outing, Maher’s heroics propelled her to a maiden Olympic bronze medal, establishing the Burlington native as one of the rugby icons. Apart from Maher, the other 6 women who made it to the dream team were Olivia Apps, Michaela Blyde, Kristi Kirshe, Madison Levi, Jorja Miller, and Seraphine Okemba. 

Such a huge honor coming right before her DWTS final act will surely boost her morale to the sky. And yes, Maher, who was trolled and body-shamed for not fitting into a dancing physique, has reached the finals of DWTS! Talk about conquering the odds. Apart from her dancing, Maher’s personality and bonding with Bersten too have made a lasting impact on the fans.

With the show coming to an end, the fans are getting teary-eyed with all the hype surrounding Ilona Maher about to end. Specifically, they are also feeling sad about a particular aspect—the fans will miss watching the sweet chemistry of Bersten and Maher. The duo had such a positive impact that fans are trying to convince them to get into a romantic relationship. And keeping things interesting, Ilona Maher too, is playing along.

Ilona Maher keeps teasing shipping rumors with Alan Bersten 

Coming up with several electric performances in DWTS so far, the bonding between Maher and Bersten has immediately caught fans’ eyes. Looking at their incredible bonding, fans are now pushing heavily to see the duo become a real-life pair. But Maher is playing it quite cleverly. She has, till now, neither confirmed nor denied the dating possibilities. 

Reflecting on the whole shipping situation, the 28-year-old rugby union icon got candid with E! News recently. Maher stated, “Yeah, we see, we see it all over. And honestly, keep doing it, people. We love it. I think honestly, if ship means relationship, we are, we are the besties. We love it.” Next up, she also mentioned whether she would consider dating Bersten once the DWTS season gets over. 

Speaking on the matter with TooFab, Maher hinted that she is happy to play along. The rugby star said, “Look, I’m for the people. If people like it, I’ll play up to it. I think it’s a fun rumor to go around. Do I know if I’ll do it? Probably not.” Thus, with things going smoothly for Ilona Maher both on and off the court, it now remains to be seen what happens next for the 28-year-old icon.