Ilona Maher Reveals the Surprising Moment She Got a Panic Attack Preparing for Dancing with the Stars tram

Ilona Maher is opening up about the extreme stress she faced preparing for Dancing with the Stars.

In an Instagram video posted on Friday, July 11, the Olympic rugby player, 28, reflected on her appearance on the most recent season of DWTS — and shared that she was going through more than just some first-day jitters when she and her partner, Alan Bersten, prepared for the season with a press day in early September.

The clip shows Maher standing onstage during a taping ahead of the season 33 premiere, fanning herself and breathing heavily — but still keeping a smile on her face — as she dances to the Chappell Roan song "HOT TO GO!" while wearing a glittering black gown.

"Fun fact: I was having a panic attack because they kept telling me to dance in front of a room full of people," she wrote over the clip, while teasing in the caption, "Thankfully I got over that @dancingwiththestars."

Bersten, who quickly became friends with Maher during their time dancing together, commented underneath the video: "Ah I remember this day!!!"

"I was unwell," Maher said in response.

A video posted to the athlete's TikTok account back in September showed Maher rocking the same glittering black dress as she and Bersten goofed around backstage, seemingly on the same day as her panic attack.

"I only dance if @Alan tells me too," she joked in the caption of video, which was first posted on Sept. 9, 2024 and featured footage of the pair grooving around to Lana Del Rey's "Say Yes to Heaven."

Maher, a bronze Olympic medalist, made it to the DWTS finale with Bersten before finishing as the runner-up behind Bachelor Joey Graziadei and pro Jenna Johnson. She then embarked on the DWTS tour shortly after — before officially announcing her official retirement from dance in April.

"After careful consideration, I have decided to retire from dance," she said in a clip uploaded to Instagram on April 6. “I am a fresh-old dancer. You all know this. Um, never said was a good one, but I am a pro. I think I gotta hang up my dancing shoes."

"It was a tough decision at its best," the Olympian joked to PEOPLE at the time about her decision to step away from the ballroom for good. "You know, if I never have to learn another step again, I think I'll be happy. I think I will," she added. “So I just wanted you all to hear this from me."

Elsewhere in her interview with PEOPLE, Maher reflected on her journey on the reality show and what she learned about herself throughout the competition. "Well, I've learned that dance is very hard and that it maybe is not what brings me so much joy, but I love watching it," the athlete said. "I love going on tour and watching them all dance, how amazing they are — but I think it's just so interesting how we all find joy in different things."

Maher added, "I find joy on the rugby pitch, whereas Alan finds it dancing and being graceful in the ballroom," she continues. "I think it taught me that it's okay to maybe not be the best at everything, but it's also good to try out things to see what you like to test your body."