Salem sprinter loses title after disqualification
· Yahoo Sports
SALEM — It was by far the biggest moment of Leanny Ortiz-Blanco’s career as an athlete.
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The Salem High standout won the 2026 N.H. Div. 1 indoor track 55 meter championship in style, breaking a state record of 7.20, barely besting the standing 7.21 mark.
It also qualified her for the New England Indoor Track Championships in three weeks.
But the euphoria soon changed.
About 45 minutes after her win, the senior, her coach and parents were met by state track officials and told she was disqualified for “unsporting conduct” for an “incident” some 90 minutes earlier before her 55-meter dash heat, which she also won easily at 7.22.
The state title instead went to Pinkerton Academy senior Nora Brayall, who finished second at 7.38.
That’s where the controversy gets muddied.
A Pinkerton track coach filed a complaint stemming from an incident, they claimed, that occurred before the first of two 55-meter heat races.
Brayall was behind Ortiz-Blanco for support in keeping the starting blocks secure – a normal occurrence where fellow athletes help each other.
Ortiz-Blanco and Salem High track coach Dan Kelleher were informed about 45 minutes after her thrilling victory that her record run was null and void because she “pushed or shoved” Brayall, according to track officials, while maneuvering the blocks before the race.
It was later deemed “unsportsmanlike” behavior and Ortiz-Blanco was disqualified.
Kelleher immediately appealed the decision. New Hampshire state track officials met again, for several minutes, and informed the duo the decision to disqualify the Salem High sprinter would stand.
“I’ve never had an athlete mistreated like that in my 33 years as a coach,” Kelleher said. “It’s not sitting well with me. The (Pinkerton) team complained after Leanny won. If their girl was not awarded the win, would they not have complained. Why wasn’t the complaint made after the heat race? Why wait until the finals? What took place is fishy to me.”
When Kelleher asked why a complaint wasn’t filed before the finals race – 45 minutes after the alleged “incident” – he was told that complaints can be filed up to 48 hours after the meet.
“That’s it. That’s all they would tell me; nothing else,” Kelleher said. “As far as the state track officials believe, it’s over and done.”
The Derry News tried contacting Portsmouth High track coach Mike Lyford, who was among the state officials that informed Kelleher and Ortiz-Blanco of the disqualification, via email, but didn’t hear back.
Pinkerton track coaches Carol Quarles and Mike Karthas referred comments about the incident and ruling to athletic director Brian O’Reilly.
“Our coach went to the track officials and said ‘I think this is a violation,’” O’Reilly said. “After that it was all up to the track officials. The decision was theirs. Other than that, we don’t have a comment.”
Ortiz-Blanco disputes there was any pushing or shoving incident.
“From my perspective, everything I did was my routine, for every meet I race,” she said of her first heat. “I set up blocks. I go behind them to get a view and make sure they’re straight. Then I set up again. Nothing happened. I don’t remember even touching anybody.”
In a statement sent out yesterday by the NHIAA it didn’t exactly say what the transgression was, noting the rule that was instituted on Sunday:
“Per NFHS Track and Field Rule 4-6-1, ‘unsporting conduct’ is prohibited, including ‘any flagrant behavior, intentional contact, taunting, criticizing or using profanity directed toward someone.’ The penalty for committing such an act is disqualification from that event and further competition in the meet.”
Ortiz-Blanco, who won the N.H. Div. 1 55-meter dash title last year (7.29), said she dedicated the last year to improving her time with the hope of receiving a scholarship to run in college. She is undecided on where she will go next fall.
Ironically, the NHIAA Track & Field did not disqualify her heat time of 7.22, which is when the alleged incident occurred, only the finals.
Her mother, Nayely Blanco, said the family is willing to do whatever it takes to get her title and state record back.
“She wants to compete in the New Englands and she deserves to,” said Blanco. “Leanny has worked very hard on this. She reached her goal of winning another state title and getting that state record. Why did they allow her to compete in the finals? It really was awful. There she was being interviewed (by the NHT&F Instagram page) with the medal around her neck and they pull this.”
Ortiz-Blanco played several sports growing up, including soccer, gymnastics and basketball, but found track at Salem High as a freshman and it became her thing.
“She is a talent in the 55-meter sprint,” Kelleher said. “And they took it away from her, her greatest achievement. The fact they wouldn’t really listen … I don’t know what to say. I’m annoyed. This was a big mistake. And from what I’m told there is nothing that can be done to fix it.”
You can email Bill Burt at [email protected].