Ilona Maher is a winner through and through. This Wednesday night, the Olympic rugby union player was honored with the Best Breakthrough Athlete of the year award at the 2025 ESPY Awards, and she accepted the honor like a true champion.

In her speech, the athlete—who has become beloved not only for her rugby skills but also for her positive, self-love TikToks—delivered an inspiring speech directed at other female athletes and young girls.

2025 ESPY Awards - Inside

Actor Anthony Ramos and three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas announced Maher as the winner. Upon hearing her name, the rugby union star—looking fantastic in a plunging black cutout dress—cheered, hugged her loved ones, and gave a smiley pageant-girl wave as she walked up onto the stage.

“It’s taken me seven years and two Olympics, but I finally broke through. Amazing stuff,” Maher joked as she took the stage to accept the award that is typically meant for newcomers to the sports world.

The athlete thanked her family, her agent, and her teammates. “I know it’s just me up here, but I’m a team sport athlete through and through, and my teammates are the reason I am the way I am,” she said.

2025 ESPYs - Arrivals

She then honed in on her motto of strength, perseverance, and self-love. “My message stays the same: Strong is beautiful. Strong is powerful. Sexy is whatever you want it to be, and I hope more girls can feel how I feel,” she said.

2025 ESPYs - Arrivals

Maher went on to speak about how playing sports shaped her and made her grow into herself as a woman. “Sport does amazing things for a girl who didn’t understand why her body looked the way it did. Sport gave me an outlet and showed me how capable I can be,” she said. Maher ended her speech with a call to action for other girls and athletes: “Take up space. Pitch it faster. Run harder. Put another plate on the bar. And never tone it down.”