A Virginia High School Track and Field Star’s attempt to get into first place during a race last Tuesday led an opponent to hit her with a baton stick and caused head injuries.
According to Brookville High School Junior Kaelen Tucker, she is still waiting for the opponent from IC Norcom High School to apologize.
Tucker had just set a new Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 3 State Indoor Championships Record in the 55 meters race on Monday, and she also hoped to help her school win 4x200m Relay Final on Tuesday.
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However, the warmth of the competition was carried too far by an opponent as clear video visions of race show that Tucker was hit in the head by a relay -touring runner from Norcom, who also threw it in Tucker’s direction after passing.
Tucker immediately ran off the field and fell down and held his head.
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“Then on the back basket I was a little cut off and I tried to pass her for the first time, so I let her move on,” Tucker told WSET ABC 13 in an interview posted on Friday. “I knew, when I got to the fullness of the basket that I was just going to push past her.
“When I finally pushed through to get in front of her, it was when she hit me in the head with the baton.”
The shock during running is very normal on the field, but not how Tucker’s opponent reacted in that moment during the second part of the race.
“The whole section just gasped,” said Tucker’s mother, Tamarrow, about those around her in the bleaching machines. “We had family from out of town, her sponsors were here from Myrtle Beach. Everyone gasped just. When I saw her going down, all I could do was running out of the bleaching machines. I just knew I had to come to her.”
“She was a little hysterical because she just couldn’t think that was what had happened.”
Race -judges immediately disqualified the Norcom team for “contact interference” according to WSET ABC 13.
Tamarrow said a medication was already with her daughter when she got down on the field, though what confused the whole family was the lack of accountability for what happened.
From Friday, they still haven’t heard from the runner or her coach, she said.
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“My whole thing was no excuse,” Tamarrow said. “No coaches, no athlete, none
WSET ABC 13 asked Tuckers if criminal charges would be pressed and without giving a final yes-or-nothing answer, Tamarrow explained their point of view.
“Of course, everyone gives their opinion on what they think you should do, but that’s also someone else’s child,” she said, referring to the attacker. “I want to take it into consideration too. Yes, she definitely beat my daughter more than once, but she is also someone else’s child.”
The family said a doctor’s visit on Friday revealed concussion symptoms as Kaelen continues to deal with headaches. There was also swelling around the area where she was hit and a possible skull fracture.
Kaelen is not allowed on the field until she recoveres from the concussion, her mother said.
(Kirby Lee -usa Today Sports)
The Tucker family reached out to VHSL and said they received a recall that explained that an investigation was underway and that both colleges were cooperating. No discipline has been announced to the incident, according to Tuckers.
VHSL did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Pakinomist Digital.
Kaelen was asked at the end of the interview from their home what she wanted to say to the opponent who beat her if something.
“Why did you do that? And why haven’t you apologized yet?” she said.
