Rugby star Ilona Maher elegantly responds to a critic.

Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher has been lauded for her reply to a body-shaming comment. The 27-year-old Team USA athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics recently addressed a troll who criticized her weight and body mass index (BMI). Since before the games began on July 26, Maher has been actively sharing her experiences and preparations on TikTok, offering a glimpse into her journey and life within the Olympic village in Paris.

Although the two-time Olympic athlete has received broad support on her page, a few commenters have chosen to criticize her body. One user remarked, "I bet that person has a 30 percent BMI."

In response, Maher said, "I believe you were trying to insult me, but actually, it’s true. My BMI is 30—29.3 to be precise." 

Although she has faced this label throughout her life, Maher refuses to let the BMI estimate define her or her self-perception, especially since the Cleveland Clinic points out that BMI does not accurately reflect muscle mass. Maher explains that her weight of 170 pounds is "lean muscle mass."

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