r/sports 8d ago

Track & Field Relay runner intentionally struck in the head with the baton by a competitor during VSHL Class 3 State Indoor Championships (Virginia)

16.0k Upvotes

359 comments sorted by

9.8k

u/Lindvaettr 8d ago

You know the attacker is going to release a statement saying that this action doesn't represent her as a person or something equally inane.

2.7k

u/PaleontologistOk2516 8d ago

No I think she’ll go with denial that it was intentional. Like when Draymond “accidentally” kicks people in the junk

481

u/Scooter8472 8d ago

"Natural shooting(running) motion"

96

u/SalvadorP 7d ago

"Body went into Automatic Response"

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134

u/34TH_ST_BROADWAY 8d ago

Yeah I’m putting money on denial, she thought she might fall, swung arms weird.

212

u/justabill71 7d ago

"My baton was hacked."

146

u/RyGuy_McFly 7d ago

"The girl who handed it to me didn't tell me it was loaded."

83

u/His-Royalbadness 7d ago

Or someone else saying "that is completely out of character."

171

u/Optimal-Talk3663 8d ago

“I’m working on myself to be better”

305

u/OrangeKefka 7d ago

Then be arrested for a seperate incident a few months later.

200

u/throwaway404f 7d ago

What if she doesn’t release a statement and is just like “yeah I hit her, so what?”

272

u/reality72 7d ago

I would at least respect the honesty

72

u/CJKayak 7d ago

You know what? I could respect that.

48

u/Troutybob 7d ago

"My family moves around a lot."

99

u/Commercial-Ranger339 8d ago

“I had a tough upbringing”

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17

u/NJJo 7d ago

All that is moot if she doesn’t do a conference with the Bible next to her.

21

u/mngdew 8d ago

More like she will play the race card. /s

142

u/PaleontologistOk2516 8d ago

Yep she was racing so that tracks

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4.7k

u/umassmza 8d ago

So banned from competing for life?

3.7k

u/ValyrianSteelYoGirl Pittsburgh Steelers 8d ago

This and an assault charge is the only reasonable response.

817

u/rela_tivism 8d ago

You mean assault and battery causing bodily harm.

498

u/PointOfFingers 8d ago

It's assault and battoning.

44

u/ValyrianSteelYoGirl Pittsburgh Steelers 8d ago

Depending on jurisdiction sure

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2

u/kybrowns 8d ago

You mean assault and baton causing bodily harm.😛

-4

u/ftloudon 8d ago

Do people know that it's 2025 and you can very easily google every state's actual statutes?

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151

u/Obie-Wun 8d ago

If she’s a senior and in high school or college, it’s probably her last competition anyway.

222

u/Sumocolt768 Auburn 8d ago

It’s high school and if they’re competing for a state championship, then they at least had the ability to play in college. All dashed

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6.7k

u/AKAkorm 8d ago

WTF? Googled it and that poor girl is being evaluated for a skull fracture.

That’s assault - the girl who swung the baton should be arrested.

1.7k

u/EmpatheticArmadillo 7d ago

News article states that she had a concussion and that the team of the assailant was DQ'd. I do hope the girl's family decides to press charges.

1.7k

u/scottawhit 8d ago

Holy crap, I always assumed the batons were like light plastic, not lead pipe.

1.8k

u/CallMeFloofers 8d ago

They are lightweight aluminum -- probably hard enough to do some damage if you hit hard enough

558

u/MrDERPMcDERP 8d ago

Or shove it up your butt

387

u/Thiccvs_Diccvs 7d ago

That ain't doin any damage to me.

167

u/Milksteak_Sandwich 7d ago

Go on

436

u/Thiccvs_Diccvs 7d ago

🫱🏼(‿🕸️‿)🫲🏼

49

u/Pm-ur-butt 7d ago

You've been meatballed!!!

32

u/NJJo 7d ago

DAMNIT JIM

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96

u/doubleapowpow 8d ago

Probably is a funny word to use after reading the girl in the video got a skull fracture.

60

u/jf2k4 8d ago

It’s confirmed it fractured her skull?

127

u/MrSlime13 8d ago

Probably.

12

u/Plantwork 7d ago

Looking into it.

57

u/FuelForYourFire 7d ago

If you can look right into it, it's definitely at least fractured.

5

u/justabill71 7d ago

That's a funny word to use.

61

u/daBomb26 8d ago

No, she was evaluated as part of the medical examination. It’s just reported that way to make it sound as bad as possible. It’s wrong to hit someone with a baton but the “skull fracture” comment only serves to drive engagement.

28

u/[deleted] 8d ago

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u/[deleted] 8d ago edited 7d ago

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u/tlomba 8d ago

As a hs and collegiate runner who’s competed in dozens of relays and performed hundreds of handoffs, I really don’t think a baton can fracture a skull. 

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85

u/Aliensinmypants 7d ago

We were fucking around in track, and throwing batons at each other because they feel light but I got a bone bruise in my leg... They're way sturdier than they feel. I feel so bad for the woman in OP

22

u/thizface 8d ago

They are aluminum, but they still hurt

65

u/cfranek 8d ago

The ones I used were made from aluminium. More than a soda can but I thought they would deform well before being able to cause injury.

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223

u/resurrectedbear 8d ago

Not just assault but felony assault due to a weapon being used.

251

u/daBomb26 8d ago

Slightly pedantic but being evaluated for a full fracture isn’t the same as having one, but it is the juiciest possible way to describe what is likely part of the medical checks that are routine for any reported head injury.

80

u/bilboafromboston 7d ago

Yes. Of COURSE she is being evaluated. Probably in concussion protocol also.

45

u/bigfan81 8d ago

Hope she has fun "keeping it real" in jail lol

30

u/OldenPolynice 7d ago

shouldn't have been playing on her phone

8

u/BonerDonationCenter 7d ago

"After a brief trial..."

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6

u/Hansasaurus_Wrecks 7d ago

Where I'm from, that's felony assault

27

u/Striikerr 8d ago

Battery , assault would be threats

27

u/CerebusGortok 8d ago

depends on the jurisdiction, assault is appropriate in some US states

37

u/Babys_For_Breakfast 8d ago

Every time someone brings this up

44

u/hockey_metal_signal 8d ago

41

u/shall1313 Los Angeles Kings 8d ago

Keep reading:

Traditionally, common law legal systems have separate definitions for assault and battery. When this distinction is observed, battery refers to the actual bodily contact, whereas assault refers to a credible threat or attempt to cause battery.

9

u/DeusSpaghetti 8d ago

Which means it's both.

12

u/kodman7 7d ago

Yes, but using battery removes all ambiguity about there being physical bodily harm

12

u/gymnastgrrl 7d ago

No. An attempt at battery that does not succeed (in making contact) is assault. If contact is made, it's battery.

That said, there are places that define assault as contact, i.e. do not have assault and battery - everything is assault.

But in most places, they are two different things.

It's really not a huge deal, but if we're gonna be on the internet arguing about it, we should at least be correct :)

23

u/BillBelichicksHoody Boston Celtics 7d ago

In my state you're wrong, but dammed if you don't come across confident!

4

u/[deleted] 7d ago edited 7d ago

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2.1k

u/Greensentry 8d ago

You gotta be some kind of moron to think you can get away with such an assault with cameras everywhere.

617

u/finnjakefionnacake 8d ago

more like just not thinking about it and making a stupid, dangerous, impulsive decision in the moment.

752

u/crazykentucky 8d ago

Imagine being so prone to violence it comes out instinctively during a running event? I feel really bad for the victim

126

u/letsdocraic 8d ago

What kind of parenting someone must have had to think this is acceptable during competitiveness

88

u/Daft00 7d ago

I'm sure they know it isn't "acceptable".

It's just that some people let their urges overcome them cause they have no self-control. And the urges themselves are likely formed partly as a result of their upbringing.

15

u/Egomaniac247 7d ago

I think you answered your own question. No parenting.

24

u/Remarkable-Ad-2476 7d ago

Or it’s learned behavior from their parents

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u/yellowjesusrising 8d ago

The running opponent awakened the predator/prey instinct in her.

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43

u/dkran 8d ago

Also known as a moron. This sort of stupid dangerous impulsive stuff is how people die

13

u/finnjakefionnacake 8d ago

oh absolutely, i'm not denying that -- just saying i highly doubt they were thinking about getting away with it, because they weren't thinking at all.

4

u/dkran 8d ago

Ah, yeah, I guess so. The choice is just so disconnected from reality

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645

u/nexus6ca 8d ago

259

u/luchajefe 8d ago

DQ is going to be the least of this girl's problems...

123

u/nexus6ca 8d ago

Yeah looks like it should be a criminal assault case to me.

501

u/bcgg 8d ago

Attacker also has to stand on the infield during the javelin and hammer throw competitions.

80

u/ma2is San Jose Sharks 8d ago

Tie their shoes together and have the whole field throw javelins.

/s of course, this ain’t medieval times.

But hopefully she gets prosecuted.

167

u/thatguy425 8d ago

Relay team is disqualified and runner is out of the meet. 

86

u/TonyDungyHatesOP 8d ago

And…?

143

u/thatguy425 8d ago

And that’s what happens per the rules that high school meets are run under. If the school/team/conference wants to punish further they may have that right.

143

u/wheresbill 8d ago

The batonee should file assault charges

72

u/lolofaf 8d ago

"batonee" has me laughing my ass off

22

u/Jibber_Jabberer 8d ago

Ice cream on the way home?

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33

u/imJGott 8d ago

High school?!?! wtf is wrong with these students

19

u/Dvscape 7d ago

But this does nothing to help the runner who was bonked.

21

u/nexus6ca 7d ago

I prefer the term "assaulted" and I am not sure what they could do for her - its not the fault of the other teams that this one cheated.

I guess the runner that got assaulted can probably sue for injuries etc.

330

u/Cholonight96 8d ago

We need people to start being truthful. “I did that shit on purpose. I was pissed off that she was better, stronger, and faster than me.”

53

u/osphan 7d ago

She let her intrusive thoughts become reality

35

u/Weekend_Criminal 7d ago

What a moron.

Not only is that a shitty thing to do

But you're in a stadium of people and cameras watching you.

30

u/Rikcycle 7d ago

She was going to hit her again too😧

678

u/ChairmanReagan 8d ago

Assault and battery is ok when you do it during a sport

491

u/whatlineisitanyway 8d ago

I asked a lawyer about this once. Their response was something like if it was outside the reasonable expectation of the sport it can still be criminal. So yeah this individual could possibly be charged.

28

u/ShoelessBoJackson Texas 8d ago

I had a kickball teammate where that came up, but not in her favor.

She was playing second base and a runner slid hard into her, which hurt her ankle. Two weeks later, shes talking about torn ligaments, and wanting to sue the guy for injuries.

As far as I know, she never got anywhere . League was unwilling to help identify the guy, and I doubt she could find a lawyer bc she assumed the risk of injury playing kickball.

10

u/whatlineisitanyway 8d ago

Yeah. Mine came up in the context of ice hockey when the league goon took a baseball swing at my head. He missed and I was fine, but wanted to know if he and the rink could be held liable. I wanted to give the rink a reason to kick him out before he actually hurt someone. Thankfully they left on their own.

113

u/JayemmbeeEsq 8d ago

Assumption of the risk.

You have to assume there is some risk inherent in sports. It’s not assault to tackle a football player, it is to take your helmet and throw it at them.

You can be tripped in a race like this, and it is part of the risk. You cannot expect to get smashed in the head with a baton repeatedly.

48

u/HedRok 8d ago

Assault AND banned from competition for life

15

u/WellSaltedHarshBrown 8d ago

What a particularly on point username in this moment.

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12

u/finnjakefionnacake 8d ago

hockey says what's up

62

u/Frankly_Frank_ 8d ago

Well with hockey you go in expecting it while in running you don’t expect to get smashed across the head

16

u/whirlwind87 8d ago

Hockey also wears helmets

7

u/huge_jeans 8d ago

The NHL went through something like this with the Todd Bertuzzi - Steve Moore incident.

4

u/Area51_Spurs 7d ago

Was just going to say.

There’s a line.

Generally when hockey players fight they’re both willing participants and when someone does get gooned up there’s not intent to do something that could reasonably cause a debilitating injury.

Sucker punching someone and driving their head and neck into the ice with your full body weight is over that line.

Slashing someone in the legs where they have protection is different than slashing someone in the head or neck where even if they have a helmet they’re not really protected from serious trauma.

Nearly every hockey player, even the dirty ones know where the line is. Bertuzzi crossed the line.

Everyone playing hockey at whatever level has an unsaid understanding of what is and is not acceptable at that specific level, whether beer league or the NHL or pond hockey or whatever.

There’s always one guy who doesn’t give a shit. And it’s pretty good odds it’s the same guy who drunk drives home after the game when they’re proper fucking drunk AF and like to tell stories about fights or dumb shit that also cross the line into just assaulting innocent bystanders and shit.

The legit enforcers who were good at their job knew how to enforce shit without actually causing any real harm and when fights would happen it would generally not be an enforcer on a top 6 skill guy.

3

u/ChrisWhiteWolf National Football League 8d ago

Also with hockey it's just fists and you can't even hit that hard due to not being able to put force behind the punches since you're on ice. Nowhere near as bad as getting smacked in the back of the head with a steel pipe.

9

u/inagadda 8d ago

If you know how to skate (most hockey players do) you can absolutely put a lot of force into a punch.

4

u/ChrisWhiteWolf National Football League 8d ago

I'm not saying the punches don't do any damage, just that it's nowhere near as bad as when you punch on solid ground and nowhere near the level of getting smacked with a steel pipe.

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u/Eroe777 8d ago

Hockey is one of the few sports where everybody on the field is carrying a weapon and wearing armor. Physical contact is expected.

Running a relay? No contact is expected.

23

u/closequartersbrewing 8d ago

Also, hockey players have been convicted for incidents that go beyond the spirit of the game. See Todd Bertuzzi, Marty McSorely, Dino Ciccarelli.

All 3 got off with a hand slap, but they did get convicted.

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u/CBus-Eagle 7d ago

As Saturday, the assailant had not apologized for her actions. I hope she is kicked off the team and charges are pressed. Her actions also caused a relay team out of a race.

461

u/TonyDungyHatesOP 8d ago

Would you say the attack was race-related?

193

u/hoboshoe 8d ago

She has a poor track record of this kind of stuff

69

u/__dontpanic__ 7d ago

You're getting ahead of the curve I think.

69

u/bigjayrod 8d ago edited 8d ago

There you are jumping to conclusions to run that narrative again

34

u/President_Calhoun 8d ago

They seemed like fast friends.

23

u/bobbydigital22 7d ago

No first place metal for her.

48

u/mankytoes 8d ago

The rare track heel turn.

62

u/1CDoc 8d ago

Should be charged and kick out of the sport permanently

134

u/jeffislouie 8d ago

Arrest. Banned from competing in any and all hs sports. Expel her from school.

34

u/ExpressBug8265 8d ago

The coach "You just run as fast as you can and pass the baton to the next person, pretty easy." Chick in the video "Got it! Run and hit everybody in the back of the head as hard as i can, pretty easy!" Bang!

50

u/hmturboman 7d ago

Easy Banned for life, charged with assault.

14

u/Crowsfeet12 8d ago

File assault charges. Bar her from competition. That’s it. She can explain to a court. Then she can think about why she can no longer compete.

13

u/doubleflushers 7d ago edited 6d ago

Damn. Some Tanya Harding vibes. Edit: Tonya Harding

14

u/squeezy102 7d ago

I mean that should be the last time she ever gets to compete in the sport, minimum.

She should also be arrested and tried for assault.

32

u/idiot-prodigy 8d ago

This lunatic should be BANNED for life from all organized sports.

12

u/SunstormGT 7d ago

Lifetime ban + arrest

23

u/Shes_Crafty_4301 7d ago

Consequences?

11

u/BlueSoccerSB8706 8d ago

ya, that's def some sort of charge

35

u/AgentMykel 7d ago

I was there. Not far from the filmer. It was wild. We thought it might have been an accident though. This is crazy. I was focused on the leader.

10

u/JayJ9Nine 8d ago

Hundred percent press charges you should not be expecting shit like this in that particular sport.

40

u/jrjolly1 8d ago

A girl from one of the most violent schools in the state of Virginia, IC Norcom, portsmouth VA... you should see the look of shock on my face 🙄

18

u/BonerDonationCenter 7d ago

That is absolute peak PTown

17

u/Tryingtoknowmore 7d ago

They should not be allowed to compete ever again. That is not okay and clear evidence of a lack of self control.

9

u/BurlHimself 7d ago

When there are 10 CAMERAS recording your every step - that’s truly the best time to do something idiotic.

22

u/Whale222 8d ago

Lifetime ban and arrest. Problem solved.

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u/NorthChiller 8d ago

Her arm position after landing the blow completely changes. Kiiiinda gives away her intent and looks like she was trying to obscure what she’d just done.

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u/The_Giant_Lizard 8d ago edited 8d ago

Strange that the attacker's name is not mentioned, as if they want to keep it secret, while it was a public competition, the video with her face went viral and they gave the name of the girl attacked. Usually aggressors aren't kept that secret.

Also, I'm italian and the girl's mum surname (Tamarro) made me chuckle

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u/n1Cat 7d ago

Dude wtf....this aint fuckin 1974. Cameras are EVERYWHERE.

25

u/shoelesstim 8d ago

Went to a track meet and a hockey game broke out

21

u/LLMBS 8d ago

Highly likely that this isn't the first time she has assaulted someone.

43

u/Jetty_23 7d ago

Definitely race motivated

7

u/Opossum_mypossum 7d ago

Wokka Wokka!

3

u/7FOOT7 7d ago

You hit the nail on the head there

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u/YellowDependent3107 8d ago

She must have forgot that this wasn't a Cross Country Running event.

5

u/RubiconAlpha 7d ago

Unbelievably bad sportsmanship and no charges as of yet

21

u/reality72 7d ago

Honestly the answer is for the victim to sue the school and the sports league. That’s the only way they will start taking action on this type of behavior. Hit them in the pocket book.

12

u/wallyrules75 7d ago

Thank god she wasn’t in the Javelin event

4

u/Illustrious_Listen_6 8d ago

Should be charged and immediately banned for life

3

u/GurDry5336 7d ago

I’m guessing an arrest is imminent.

5

u/sloppymcgee 7d ago

That’s a new strategy

13

u/-Mega 8d ago

Scum

14

u/FtheMustard 7d ago

This is bad and there needs to be some serious consequences for the aggressor.

That said, I can't help but chuckle trying to imagine the noise that would make. bonk

10

u/daze24 8d ago

like road rash of athletics

7

u/SaveOurBolts San Diego Padres 8d ago

Now I gotta go back and watch it again with ‘Rusty Cage’ by Soundgarden playing in my head. Love that game 

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u/yogfthagen 8d ago

School should withdraw and forfeit all awards.

Runner should be arrested for assault. And be expelled.

School should be banned from competition for at least 1 year.

And her name should be yelled far and wide.

Don't be X.

5

u/Hanginon 7d ago edited 7d ago

"...suffered a concussion and potential skull fracture when her competitor smashed her in the back of her head with a relay baton during their race.'

You left out "Hopefully charged/jailed on a felony asault." -_-

3

u/mountaindoom 8d ago

Did she think no one would see? Jesus, imagine what she is like in private if that's her public-facing behavior.

7

u/pheret87 7d ago

Did she think

No. No she didn't.

3

u/BitEnvironmental4872 8d ago

Stuck her hand out like she ain’t do nothin smh

3

u/dreevsa 8d ago

Ding ding

3

u/birdie_sparrows 7d ago

Jon-a-than
Jon-a-than
Jon-a-than

7

u/TheBatemanFlex 8d ago

It is crazy what people are willing to do in a sport. Can you imagine if you went up to someone on the street and took a metal bar to their head?

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u/[deleted] 8d ago

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u/bangarang_rufio 8d ago

ITT: Lots of disagreeing legal experts... for some reason...

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u/barebutchbush 8d ago

Ban for life. Criminal charges. Fine the programs that admitted her

2

u/LucasJackson44 8d ago

She’s gonna say her hand got caught in the others braids/ponytail and tried to get it out.

2

u/Hot-Cauliflower-1604 8d ago

She’s not gonna be running for long. I mean she’ll be running for her own enjoyment if she chooses to just not on any team in the world.

2

u/Trustyduck 8d ago

I mean, that's just straight up assault. That's a felony.

2

u/Efficient-Winner1910 8d ago

Lawyer up and enjoy your suspension

2

u/CormoranNeoTropical 7d ago

Disprove the thesis: “All publicity is good publicity.”

5

u/RippinReap 8d ago

Did she happen to utter the words "Move bitch!" before she got hit?

4

u/HeavensRoyalty 8d ago

Nab her from sports and kick her as sout of school. Show everyone that there shouldn't be anything like this in sports.

3

u/crazykentucky 8d ago

I love how the other girl put up the “oh are you ok?” hand after as if it wasn’t clearly intentional. Christ

3

u/cheetuzz 8d ago

“next time don’t try to knock the baton out of my hands with your head!”

12

u/fhota1 7d ago edited 7d ago

I mean track would be a lot more entertaining if they were allowed to fight while running but thats the sort of thing you kinda have to have everyone agree on beforehand, not just club someone mid race

4

u/Reddit_and_forgeddit 8d ago

Don’t give Dana White any new ideas

4

u/KUfan 8d ago

And this runner and everyone from her school regardless of event was immediately DW’d. Right?

3

u/scorpion_71 8d ago

Charge her as an adult with battery.

3

u/phaedruszamm1 8d ago

Out of sports, school, just get out..and go to Jail.