Leonardo Dionicio, a graduate of West Hartford’s Hall High School, is one of the contestants on the just launched MTV series, ‘The Challenge.’

By Ronni Newton

Leonardo Dionicio was one of 10 “sexy singles” on Love Island two summers ago, and the then-21-year-old came close to winning, ending his stint on Peacock’s reality show as runner-up on Day 32.

Now the West Hartford native, who graduated from Hall High School in 2019 where he was a star athlete (football and baseball, as well as indoor track) and musician, is taking on a new reality show challenge – as a contestant on “The Challenge.”

A news release announced the MTV’s “flagship series, The Challenge – the longest-running reality competition on television” was casting “New Threats” to compete among the veterans who have dominated the show for 41 season. “The Challenge: Vets & New Threats ushers in a dynamic new era where seasoned veterans face fierce newcomers,” the release states. “The established order will crumble as both groups navigate fragile alliances, betrayals, and the pressure of proving themselves. Nothing is guaranteed.”

The Challenge premiered on Wednesday, July 30 at 8 p.m., and (spoiler alert), “I didn’t expect the challenge to hurt my body that much … I didn’t expect it to be that hard, but I had a lot of fun,” Dionicio said in his Instagram story.

The show airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. A list of providers can be found here.

“He is also releasing new music,” his mom, Gina Dionicio, told We-Ha.com.

You can also follow Dionicio as he navigates The Challenge, and find his newly-released music, on his Instagram page (@Leonardo_dionicio).

The cast includes the following 16 veterans and 16 “new threats”:

• Veterans – Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, CT Tamburello, Cara Maria Sorbello, Aneesa Ferreira, Leroy Garrett, Nany González, Derrick Kosinski, Aviv Melmed, Ashley Mitchell, Rogan O’Connor, Theo Campbell, Nia Moore, Turbo, Olivia Kaiser, Michaela Bradshaw and Derek Chavez.
• New Threats – Jake Cornish (Love Island: All Stars), Ben Davis (Boxer), Leonardo Dionicio (Love Island USA), Izzy Fairthorne (Too Hot to Handle), Justin Hinsley (Cheer), Blue Kim & America Lopez (Big Brother US), Cedric Hodges (Big Brother 26), Yeremi Hykel (The Amazing Race 35), Adrienne Naylor (Married at First Sight UK), Sydney Segal (Survivor 41), Leka Sodade (Canada’s Ultimate Challenge), Dee Valladares (Survivor 45), Gabe Wai (Former WWE), and Tay Wilcoxson (Big Brother Australia 15).

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