Alberto was born with a malformation that led to his right leg being amputated from the knee at the age of three. However, far from letting this disability limit him, it led him to overcome dozens of barriers and to turn his life into humor.
In addition to his love and profession, athletics, Alberto Ávila has over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, 311,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, and 244,000 followers on Instagram. The athlete is known on social media as @alberto_boniato, a profile through which he succeeds by showcasing and normalizing his disability.
In his role as a content creator, he has been sharing his story with humor for five years. His latest project on YouTube is Cojo por el mundo, where he aims to encourage people with reduced mobility to travel.
He has traveled to India or Puerto Rico and says that his next destination will be a country at war, although in reality, his next destination will be Survivors. His goal is to normalize people with disabilities in society and to focus on the person rather than the disability.
In fact, his participation in Survivors is likely driven by the same motivation, as although what may initially draw attention is that he is the first contestant with a disability on Survivors, as the reality show unfolds, viewers will simply see Alberto Ávila.
Having this athlete as a contestant on Survivors represents a milestone, as well as a strong commitment to social inclusion, considering that it is one of the most-watched television programs across all demographics.
As he recently shared in an interview with Marca, he learned to laugh at himself from a young age thanks to the education he received from his parents. Known as Boniato, he managed to make other children never laugh at him, but with him. He was even kicked out of class on more than one occasion for his jokes, like when he left his prosthesis on the teacher's desk.
All this without giving up athletics. During the season, Alberto Ávila trains six days a week, making him physically well-prepared for the demanding adventure that is Survivors.
On the track, Ávila competes in the T64 categories (amputees below the knee). He is the European under-20 runner-up, has won multiple national championships in 100, 200, and 400 meters, and has been a finalist in World Championships.
He has also dabbled in acting. He played Miqui, a prominent member of the heptathlon team in the Netflix series Olympo. As he himself says, "people don't look at the common, they look at the extraordinary."
The addition of Alberto Ávila to the new edition of Survivors, which will start in early March, is not the only change. After three editions, Laura Madrueño, the host of the reality show from Honduras, has left the program. María Lamela will now be leading the show from the Cayos.
A journalist and presenter with experience in national and regional television, Lamela joins the format, taking over from Laura Madrueño to be the new link to the adventure of the show's hosts in Madrid. Additionally, she will be responsible for directing the iconic games that will shape much of the contestants' survival journey.