Ilona Maher, the Olympian, rugby star, and three-time Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model, celebrated a major milestone this month.
She turned 30 on 12 August. She marked the occasion with an intimate dinner with friends before jetting off for a proper celebration.
The rugby sevens star swapped the pitch for paradise, heading to Hawai’i with her closest friends for a birthday girls’ trip.
It’s been unfolding across her Instagram all week.
The bikini pic that had fans swooning
In one standout post, Maher knelt in the sand in a maroon two-piece with striped bottoms.
Her hair fell loose over her shoulders.
She captioned it simply: “out of office.””Fellow SI Swimsuit star Jocelyn Corona called her an “angel” in the comments.
Meanwhile, others flooded the post calling her the “island queen.”
Why this milestone birthday means more
Beyond the swimwear, Maher’s Hawai’i trip caps off a big year: she became a three-time SI Swimsuit model in 2026, following shoots in Bellport, Bermuda, and Mexico.
Turning 30 with her inner circle by her side, far from cameras and competition, feels like exactly the reset she’s earned.
There’s something about watching a woman this accomplished choose “girls and good sand” for a milestone birthday that just hits right. Here’s to the next decade being just as fierce.
Keep an eye on The South African for more of the summer’s best celebrity getaways.
Would you trade a big birthday bash for a quiet girls’ trip like Ilona’s?
Let us know in the comments below…