Ilona Maher, US rugby and social media star, endorses Kamala Harris

Center who lit up Olympics cites threats to abortion rights and contraception in backing Democrat over Donald Trump

The Democratic nominee for US president, Kamala Harris, picked up an endorsement from a key social media influencer: the Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher.

I think it's going to be cool because there is an opportunity to have female representation and to change this country in a way that I think will benefit us," Maher told Sports Illustrated, in an interview accompanying a swimwear shoot which saw the 28-year-old center praised as a feminist trailblazer".