High school runner defends herself after baton video: 'I would never do that on purpose'

A Virginia high school athlete is defending herself after a video captured the moment she hit a fellow competitor with a baton during a track and field relay race.

I.C. Norcom High School Senior Alaila Everett says she never meant to injure Brookville High School Junior Kaelen Tucker, who was hit as they were rounding a corner during the second leg of the 4x200 relay race at the Virginia State High School League Indoor State Championships in Lynchburg on March 4.

"I would never do that on purpose," Everett said in a Tuesday interview with "Good Morning America." "That's not in my character."

The footage, which went viral on social media, shows Tucker running off the track and falling with her own baton in hand after she was struck.

"That's when she hit me with the baton," Tucker told "Good Morning America" on Monday, nearly a week after she was injured. "I just felt a bang on my head and immediately fell off the track." After the meet, doctors told Tucker she was suffering from a concussion and a possible fractured skull, WSLS10 reported.

Leslie Young, I.C. Norcom High School Athletic Director, has since apologized to the Tuckers on behalf of the Everetts, GMA reported. Young did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

The girls were supposed to talk over Zoom to hash things out, but nothing has been scheduled yet, ABC13 reported. The Virginia State High School League is currently investigating the incident.

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Everett says she lost her balance when she was cut off

Everett told ABC13 on Monday night that she lost her balance because Tucker crossed over too early.

"We get to the curve, and I feel someone coming up on me," Everett said in the interview. "I'm running, and she's just getting closer and closer to the point where she's up on me. My baton is - her elbow, like her arm is literally hitting my baton so I lost balance."

Everett said Tucker was struck as they were both trying to come out of the curve.

"My arm goes up her back, and my body twisted," Everett told ABC13. "The curve is this way, and I have to run that way, so I'm like this in the air. I catch my balance and pump my arms. She's cutting in, and so when I pumped my arms, she got hit. I'm sorry she got hit, but I didn't do it intentionally."

Everett's track team was disqualified from the race and Everett herself has been receiving hate from since the video went viral on social media.

"Many threats, death threats, racist people," Everett said in the interview. "People making fake accounts to talk and harass me on my page."

Everett's father Genoa told ABC13 that he believes his daughter lost her balance because she would never "do something like this."

"It hurts because, man, y'all really picked the wrong child to criminalize like that," Everett said. "That's nowhere near her nature. How would you feel waking up and seeing Gayle King or 'Good Morning America' talk about you or your daughter and not having the full story?"

Protective order filed

The Liberty University Police Department told ABC13 that a protective order had been filed in Lynchburg after the incident. And "Good Morning America" reported that the Everett family had been served and ordered to appear before a judge.

Liberty University Police Department did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Tuesday afternoon. Everett told ABC13 that she had tried to reach out to Tucker on social media to apologize but claimed she was blocked and could no longer send her messages.

The Tucker family, who told WSLS10 that they received an apology from the Everett's father and the school's athletic director, are still awaiting an apology from Everett and her coach.

“They were beside us at the event. They were watching the video at the event, but no one apologized or came to check on her,” the Tuckers told the outlet. “Even if it was a fluke or freak accident, you still would check on her.”

This story was updated to correct a grammatical error.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Athlete defends herself after hitting competitor with baton in race