The high school track star suffered a concussion and a fractured skull on Friday.
Brookville High School junior Karen Tucker competed in the 4×200-meter relay at Liberty University in the VHSL Class 3-state indoor championship in Virginia, and was physically attacked by an opponent who just died in the second round of the race.
Tucker was protected by the media and ran past an unofficially appointed IC Norcom High School rival when the opponent assaulted her with her baton and when Brookville Runner bashing her head as she moved to lane 1 in front of her.
“When we get to the other side of the truck, we have to cross lane 1, you need to merge and when I'm approaching her she cut me a bit, so I retreated,” Tucker said. I said WSLS-TV in Virginia. “Then she kept bumping into my arms as we avoided the curve. Then, finally, I went down the curve. I slowly started overtaking her, and it was when she just hit me with the baton and I fell off the track.”
Video of the incident clearly shows an IC Norcom student hanging Tucker on his head, before the attacked runner stumbled and fell on the floor next to the track.
The Norcom team was quickly disqualified from the tournament, but Tucker and her parents, Tamaro and Keith Tucker, were unhappy with this official action.
Tucker says that the opposite school, its coach, and the runner in question have not apologised for the shocking attack either.
“Even if it was a fluke or an unusual accident, you'll still be checking out her,” the victim's parents said.
The young woman was later diagnosed with a concussion, the family added.
Meanwhile, the Virginia High School League reports that an investigation into the incident has been opened.
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