Shock twist in baton track feud as victim takes desperate security measures
By OLIVER SALT
Published: 17:01 EDT, 10 March 2025 | Updated: 17:17 EDT, 10 March 2025
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The high-school track star who was hit in the head by a baton-wielding opponent wants to take a protective order out against her attacker.
Shocking footage emerged on social media over the weekend of Alaila Everett striking Kaelen Tucker during the 4x200m relay event of the VSHL Class 3 State Indoor Championships in Virginia.
Tucker was running the second leg of the relay for Lynchburg's Brookville High School when she passed Everett of I.C. Norcom High School, who could be seen striking her with the baton as she tried to move round the outside.
Everett, who claimed she has since been on the receiving end of death threats and racial slurs, broke her silence on the viral incident Monday in a tearful interview with Wavy.com.
The track athlete's parents, father Genoa and mother Zeketa Cost, also alleged in the interview that they have been hit with court papers by the Tuckers, who are looking to take out a protective order against their daughter's attacker.
'It doesn’t seem right that this would happen and now we have to go to a city three hours away that everyone hates our guts already,' Genoa said about the prospect of heading back to Virginia after receiving the court papers.
High-school track star Kaelen Tucker (pictured), who was hit in the head by a baton-wielding opponent, wants to take out a protective order against her attacker
Tucker also spoke out on the incident over the weekend, claiming she has not received an apology from Everett.
'I still can't believe it, I'm in shock...I'm still trying to take it all in, I can't believe it happened,' she said.
Kaelen added: 'Why did you do it, and why haven't you apologized?'
Alaila has a different story, however, after insisting she tried to contact her opponent on social media, only to discover she has been blocked.
Despite the video showing her hitting out at Tucker, Everett is also adamant that it was a complete accident, stressing that she did not intend to strike her opponent.
'Nobody is going to believe me because I can admit from the video it does look purposeful. But I know my intentions and I would never hit anybody on purpose,' she said.
Alaila added: 'After a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back like this, and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance and, when I pumped my arms again, she got hit.'
Everett insisted there is more to her - and the incident - than first appears in the short clip. 'They are assuming my character, calling me ghetto and racial slurs, death threats,' she said. 'All of this off of a nine-second video.'
Brookville High School runner Tucker (circled) was struck by Alaila Everett (right of circle)
She added: 'Everybody has feelings, so you’re physically hurt, but you’re not thinking of my mental (health).
Everett's mother was also overcome with emotion as she defended her daughter.
'I didn’t have to see a first video, second video or tenth video. I know 100percent that she would never do that to nobody,' Zeketa Cost said.
I.C. Norcom High School was disqualified following the incident for 'contact interference' - or physically interfering with another runner's actions.
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