PORTSMOUTH, VA - A high school student-athlete is recovering from a concussion after being struck in the head with a baton by another runner during a race.
According to 13newsnow, 16-year-old Kaelen Tucker was running the second leg of the 4x200 relay at the Virginia High School League Championship on March 3rd when another runner hit her with a baton. Video footage of the incident that has since gone viral shows the two sprinters running side-by-side as they rounded a corner, with Kaelen on the outside.
Just as Kaelen begins to pass, the other athlete, identified as Alaila Everett, swung her baton, striking Kaelen in the head. Kaelen is seen immediately dropping her baton and clutching her head in pain. Later, after the incident, she was diagnosed with a concussion.
Kaelen's family said that neither Alalia nor the opposing team's coaches checked on their daughter or reached out after the incident. During an interview with ABC News, Kaelen's mother said, "To see that they kept running and she [did] not stop and check on my daughter ... it couldn't have been an accident."
Vincent Pugh, a track official for the Virginia High School League, explained that Kaelen did not allow enough space between herself and Alaila, which led to the "accidential hit." He said, "It's the one event in indoor track where there's the most contact, in the history of track and field. Imagine me running side by side with you ... even at this point, she's not a stride ahead of her."
He also noted that once Alaila saw Kaelen was hurt, her immediate reaction was to reach out and help her opponent before finishing the race. Pugh said, "Her immediate reaction is concern for her, not finishing the race." Kaelen's parents said that I.C. Norcom's athletic director and Alaila's father called to apologize, but the athlete herself and the coach have not contacted them.
Alaila's father, Genoah Everett, claimed that the incident was an accident. He said that Kaelen came too close to this daughter and attempted to cut her off too soon while coming around the curve, which caused Alaila to lose her balance. He said his daughter was trying to maintain her balance while ensuring her baton was not knocked out of her hands.
The father said, "When the young lady cut her off, my daughter couldn't pump her arms ... no control where your arms go." He also defended his daughter, saying she had done all she could to apologize publicly. He added, "She can only apologize on the news and she's done it already several time, um, and they still asking for an apology, but she can't contact the young lady. She can't even talk to her."
During an interview with ABC affiliate WSET, Kaelen described the incident in her own words, saying, "I was so in disbelief. I didn't even know what happened. I just know I got hit in the head, and I just fell off the track. I still can't believe it. I'm still in shock, but I'm still trying to take it all in."
According to WSET, Alaila said that what happened was not intentional. She said, "...The curve is this way, and I have to run that way, so I'm like this in the air. I catch my balance and pump my arms. She's cutting in, and so when I pumped my arms, she got hit. I'm sorry she got hit, but I didn't do it intentionally."
Kaelen's mother said that the Virginia High School League (VHSL) has informed her that they will be investigating the incident, but she doesn't know what specific steps they will take to move forward. In a statement, VHSL said, "The actions taken by the meet director to disqualify the runner were appropriate and correct.
We thoroughly review every instance like this that involves player safety with the participating schools. The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition."
Kaelen, who was unable to compete in the final races of the season due to her injury, had set a new meet record for the 55-meter dash shortly before the incident occurred.
