LYNCHBURG, Va. – Kaelen Tucker began running track at a young age, following in the footsteps of her brother.
Naturally, her parents, Tamarro and Keith Tucker, were immensely proud of their daughter.
“When she started in eighth grade, but originally she went in seventh grade, and she said it was too much running, and she quit,” the Tuckers said. “So she ended up going back and doing it again in eighth grade.”
Fast forward to Kaelen’s junior year, and she had since earned her spot at the Class 3 Track and Field State Finals for Brookville High School.
On that day, she had already raced in the 55-meter dash and was stepping up for the 4X200 race.
During the race, she was jockeying for position with the other runners and, as she was rounding a corner, an opposing athlete from I.C. Norcom High School lashed out with her baton.
“When you go to the other side of the track, you have to cross into lane one, you have to merge in. As I was coming up on her, she kind of like made me get cut off a little bit, so I backed away,” Kaelen said. “Then, as we got around the curve, she kept bumping me in my arm. Then finally we got off the curve, I like slowly started passing her and then that’s when she just hit me with the baton and I fell off the track.”
Have the day's biggest stories arrive in your inbox every day at 8 p.m.
As she ran off the track, her mother quickly ran onto it. Trainers quickly pulled Kaelen aside to assess her injuries as officials quickly disqualified Norcom due to the infraction.
While nothing was officially diagnosed at the meet, Kaelen could already feel the effects of the baton.
A trip to the doctor only confirmed those effects.
“I could feel like a headache coming up, so I just sat out,” Kaelen said. “I recently went to the doctor, and they prescribed me with a concussion and a possible fractured skull.”
Now, Tamarro and Keith are looking for an apology. They already reached out to the I.C. Norcom Athletic Director and the father of the opposing athlete.
While they appreciated their apology, Tamarro feels like the apology should be coming from the opposing coach and athlete who hit Kaelen.
“They were beside us at the event. They were watching the video at the event, but no one apologized or came to check on her,” the Tuckers said. “Even if it was a fluke or freak accident, you still would check on her.”
They reached out to the Virginia High School League as well, who told them that they were currently investigating the situation.
WSLS 10 has reached out to the VHSL, who told us in an email that “we don’t comment on individuals or disciplinary actions. The actions taken by the meet director were appropriate and correctly applied.” The situation is still being reviewed and is being called “a serious issue, especially when it involves the safety of athletes in competitions.”
10 News reached out to both Brooksville and I.C. Norcom for comment but have not heard back.
