A video of a track runner whacking a competitor in the head with a baton is now a viral topic. High schoolers Alaila Everett and Kaelen Tucker went up against each other in the 4×200 meter relay on Tuesday, March 4. After the head hit, Tucker reportedly suffered a concussion and “possible skull fracture,” per TMZ. After intense public backlash, Everett gave a tearful explanation of the incident, which she called accidental. Meanwhile, according to news outlet 10WAVY, Kaelen’s family is reportedly seeking a protective order against Alaila.
Viral Video Of Track Meet Shows THIS
As mentioned, the track meet was a statewide competition last week. Alaila Everett represented I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, while Kaelen Tucker was on the team from Brookville High School in Lynchburg. Everett is a senior, and Kaelen is a junior. It was allegedly their first time competing against each other.
The clip shows both girls coming into close contact while rounding a corner. After Kaelen pulled ahead, the baton appeared to smack her in the back. The high school junior kept running but lost her baton and began stumbling into Alaila’s lane. She then got hit a second time as she crossed in front of Everett’s path and eventually stumbled off of the track and fell to the ground. Meanwhile, the high school senior kept running past the injured runner.
Alaila Everett Says Baton Hit Was Accidental
While speaking with 10WAVY, Alaila Everett said that during the race, she was focused on the lanes ahead but stopped a yellow uniform in her peripheral. That uniform ended up being Tucker, who Everett says was “so close” to her that she kept getting hit with the baton. She chose the second option when faced with getting hurt or continuing to run.
“…And it’s either keep hitting her or fall unto the metal railing that’s on the track. So eventually, after a couple of times hitting her my baton got stuck behind her back…and it rolled up her vest. I lost my balance and when I pumped my arms again, she got hit. She was cutting in when it happened, when she should’ve waited a little bit longer,” Everett said.
Because Tucker continued to run near her, the baton struck her again. After getting hit the second time, Alaila says she kept her baton up. She didn’t check on Tucker because she chose to finish the race. Afterward, she noted that Tucker already had people around her. Also, her coach allegedly told her to stay nearby after informing them that the I.C. Norcom High School was disqualified from the competition.
After sobbing into her hands, Alaila Everett said that people are judging the situation based on one angle of the video. She admitted that the video makes the hits look purposeful but insisted they were not.
“…but I know my intentions, and I would never hit somebody on purpose because of jealousy. I know I’m not the best at track. I applaud her for being a great runner; I would never hit somebody because of jealousy. And at the end of the day, I’m a child too…I’m sorry,” the high school senior said.
She tripled down on her stance that the hits and the resulting concussion Kaelen Tucker suffered were not intentional. Everett said she’s an honor roll student who has never been in a fight and whose parents don’t get calls home about her.
“It’s just a lot on me. I’m confident in myself; I know what I did. Nobody is going to make me think that I did something that I didn’t do, and that’s the way I was raised,” she said.
Alaila Everett Calls Out Kaelen Tucker & Her Mom For Doing THIS
Additionally, the high school track runner seemed to imply that Kaelen is also partially to blame for her decision-making on the track. Alaila also called out Kaelen’s mother for running to news outlets with their POV without seeking hers or considering the death threats the teen is allegedly receiving. The teen also said she attempted to contact Kaelen Tucker via Instagram but that her competitor blocked her “for content.”
“I haven’t been doing [track] my whole life, but I’ve been doing it for four years, and not one incident has happened with me. Not one,” Alaila said.
Alaila Everett added that she’s still on her high school’s track team. She also doubled down on the fact that the video’s “angle” “played a big part” in the public narrative. Lastly, if given the chance, she said she’d apologize to Kaelen Tucker and congratulate her on her win. However, she also said she’d tell Tucker that her mental health is also at play. She insisted that her said is not being heard, but she’s still being dragged by the media and viewers of the viral video.
Tucker’s Parents Want To Keep Their Daughter Away From Alaila
As Alaila explained, Tucker has been sharing her POV of the incident with the press. Speaking to WSLS, Kaelen said her competitor first tried to cut her off as she was coming close. Then, things escalated.
“So I backed away and then as we got around the curve, she kept bumping me in my arm, and then, we finally 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,” Kaelen said.
As mentioned, the family also filed for a protective order against the high school senior. Why? Well, the high school track runners are expected to be at the upcoming track Nationals event. So, the Tucker family is working ahead to prevent any interaction between the girls. Additionally, TMZ reports that Kaelen’s father, Keith, confirmed that police are now investigating the incident. The Virginia High School League is also investigating. No disciplinary actions have been revealed.
