By Priscilla Jepchumba

American rugby player Ilona Maher recently opened up about a memorable moment from her appearance on the 500th episode of ABC’s popular dance competition.

The accomplished 28-year-old Olympian has demonstrated her versatility on the dance floor this season, competing alongside Pariah 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Alan Bersten.

During the instant dance round, where contestants have just five minutes to come up with a routine, Maher and Bersten performed a salsa to Freak Nasty’s catchy track “Da Dip.” Salsa involved fast movements and difficult lifts. The six contestants still competing took part in a fast-paced round of dancing last night.

Unfortunately, an elevator went wrong and Maher humbly took responsibility for the misstep, humorously remarking, “Everyone hated the elevator; It’s my fault.”

Despite the accident, she maintained a positive attitude, telling Entertainment News: “Honestly, I wasn’t that panicked. I was actually having fun. This relaxed attitude allowed him to bounce back, resulting in his first perfect ten of the season for a quick step later in the series.

She said, “There you go, it was me, I didn’t land softly, and it’s my fault.” It’s my problem, it was my problem. Bersten encouraged Maher to focus more on entertainment value rather than striving for flawless technical execution.

He reassured her, saying, “If you made a mistake, there’s a reason you made a mistake.” » This episode held special significance for Maher, especially after her last place finish at the Halloween party, where she received a score of 52 out of 60 and 24 out of 30 for the instant dance.

Even with an unforeseen misstep in their routine, Maher found a reason to celebrate at the end of the evening. This performance earned him the first perfect score of the season, with the judges giving him the precious score of 10.

Although she danced fourth that night, her fierce determination and tenacity reflected the same qualities she demonstrated on the rugby field. Ilona Maher’s unwavering determination was evident in both her rugby matches and her journey to mastering ballroom dancing.

She recently compared her training for “Dancing With the Stars” to Olympic preparation, recognizing its importance and challenging herself to exceed her usual limits. Dwight Howard was eliminated from the final episode based on judges’ scores and viewer votes, leaving five teams still in the running.