The sprinter accused of striking her rival with a baton during a high school state championship race has claimed it was an accident.
Kaelen Tucker said she suffered a slight concussion and a possible skull fracture after she was hit in the head by Alaila Everett’s baton during the 4x200m relay race.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Runner attacks rival with baton during relay race.
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Footage of the incident has since gone viral with Tucker later saying she “was in shock” and never received an apology from anyone.
But Everett said there is more to the footage than meets the eye.
The I.C. Norcom High School student broke down in tears, explaining her version of events in an emotional interview with local outlet WAVY TV 10.
“After a couple times of hitting her (as they ran side by side), my baton got stuck behind her back like this,” she said, gesturing upwards, “and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance and when I pumped my arms again, she got hit.”
“I know my intention is that I would never hit somebody on purpose.”
In the viral footage, Tucker overtakes Everett on the bend before she is hit in the back of the head by her rival’s baton. Tucker then stumbles before collapsing to the ground. Everett’s team was subsequently disqualified for “contact interference”.
Everett went on to explain how she has been struggling with the wave of criticism directed at her since the incident.
“They’re assuming my character, calling me ghetto, racist slurs, death threats, all of this, just because of a nine-second video,” Everett added.
“They’re going off of one angle.”
The day after the incident, Tucker and her family were left fuming after failing to receive an apology.
“My whole thing was no apology,” Tamarro Tucker said. “Like, no coaches, no athlete, no anything. Even if it was an accident — which I don’t believe it was — but nothing. And it’s been more than 24 hours now. So I guess that was the major thing.”
Kaelen added: “Why did you do it and why haven’t you apologised?”
But Everett claimed she had been trying to apologise, but has been blocked on social media.
The Everett family have also been served with court papers.
“Now we have to go to a city three hours away where everybody hates our guts already,” Everett’s father said.
The Virginia High School League is still investigating the incident.