Ilona Madari started her gymnastics career at the Katalin Dobó Sports Club within the Model Fashion School, where Anna Kael was her physical education teacher. From here she went first to the NTE (Nemzeti Torna Egylet) and then to the Óbuda TE (Torna Egylet). She achieved her greatest individual success in 1938, when she won the Hungarian title in the floor exercise. In 1936 Madary was selected for the Hungarian national team and won a bronze medal in the team event at the Berlin Olympics. She married in 1941 and retired from competitive sports.