Athlete Suffers Head Concussion After Being Struck with Baton During Race: Video
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March 10, 2025
A high school track and field event in Virginia took an unsporting turn when a runner was struck in the head with a baton mid-race, leading to serious injuries and controversy.
The victim, Kaelen Tucker, a junior at Brookville High School, was competing in the 4×200 meter relay during the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 3 State Indoor Championships at Liberty University on Friday, March 7, when the shocking incident occurred.
Tucker was running the second leg of the relay when she attempted to pass a competitor from IC Norcom High School.
According to Tucker, the opposing runner had been bumping her arm as they approached a curve. When she finally managed to overtake her, she felt a sudden and sharp blow to the head. “When we got to the curve, she kept bumping me in my arm, and when we got off the curve, I finally passed her—that was when she hit me with the baton,” Tucker recalled.
The impact forced Tucker to stop running. She was later evaluated by a doctor, who diagnosed her with a concussion and a possible skull fracture, according to WSLS 10.
Adding to the controversy, Tucker’s mother expressed frustration that neither the opposing runner nor the coach offered an apology following the incident.
Check out the violent encounter in the slide below:
