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Olympic star Ilona Maher wears daring black cut-out dress for ESPYs red carpet

The rugby breakout wasn't afraid to show some serious skin in the stunning gown.
Michelle McGahan|
US women's rugby bronze medalist, Ilona Maher, walks the runway at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show at the W South Beach on May 31, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida.
US women's rugby bronze medalist, Ilona Maher, walks the runway at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show at the W South Beach on May 31, 2025 in Miami Beach, Florida. | IMAGO / MediaPunch

Ilona Maher is never one to hold back — making her arrival at the 2025 ESPY Awards just as bold as fans could hope.

The Olympic bronze medalist, 28, hit the Wednesday, July 16 awards show red carpet in a black paneled gown that showed off some serious skin. The cut-out frock featured two panels strategically placed over her chest, with two pieces of fabric criss-crossed over her abdomen. As the skirt of the dress dipped low — and the the sides completely exposed — the rugby star was free to showcase her tanned and toned figure.

RELATED: Ilona Maher wows fans with stunning bikini selfie

Maher only added to the drama of the dress by wearing her dark hair pulled tight into an updo, letting the gown speak for itself.

By rocking a dark red lip — and keeping her jewelry minimal — Maher only further served to emphasize the dress, with the deep lip color only adding just another touch of glam.

RELATED: Gabby Thomas gets funky with white feather-trimmed minidress for ESPYs

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model is up for the Best Breakthrough Athlete award at the 2025 ESPYs, where she's up against Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, Duke's men's basketball star Cooper Flagg, and North Carolina women's lacross star Chloe Humphrey.

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Michelle McGahan
MICHELLE MCGAHAN

Michelle is an editor based in the New York metro area reporting on celebrity and entertainment news. She has in-depth knowledge of pop music and fandom. Michelle has worked in editorial roles across media outlets such as Newsweek, Us Weekly, iHeartRadio and more. She is a cum laude graduate of Drew University.

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