An emotional high school runner denies smashing another runner in the head with a baton during a recent track meet in Virginia.
Video footage shows Brookville High junior Kaelen Tucker running the second leg of a girls 4×400 meter relay final when she breezed past an opponent from IC Norcom High School.
The IC Norcom runner clobbered Kaelen in the head at least twice with the heavy baton. The attack caused Kaelen to lose her balance and stumble off the track.
Slow-motion replay shows the IC Norcom runner draw back her hand and strike Kaelen in the head with the baton.
A high school track runner was attacked with a baton during a relay at the state championships ? pic.twitter.com/qd4wll7H1I
— internet hall of fame (@InternetH0F) March 10, 2025
Race officials disqualified IC Norcom High School for “contact interference.”
“The whole section just gasped,” Kaelen’s mother, Tamarrow, told ABC13. “We had family come from out of town, her godparents were here from Myrtle Beach. Everybody just gasped. When I saw her go down, all I could do is run out of the bleachers. I just knew I had to get to her.”
Kaelen Tucker has since been diagnosed with a concussion and possible skull fracture. She complains of headaches and dizziness.
After the video went viral, the other runner tearfully denied bashing Kaelen with the baton intentionally.
She tried to say she didn’t do it intentionally ? pic.twitter.com/P6dFUcr9a7
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As of Friday, Kaelen still hadn’t heard from the other runner or her coaches.
“My whole thing was no apology,” Tamarrow said. “No coaches, no athlete, no anything. Even if it was an accident, which I don’t believe it’s an accident. It’s been more than 24 hours now, so I guess that was the major thing. My child was hurt and nobody came to check on her.”
“I still can’t believe it, I’m in shock,” Kaelen told ABC13 News.
“I’m still trying to take it all in, I can’t believe it happened.”
So far, there have been no assault charges filed against the other runner.
