STATE TRACK CHAMPION Derekia Coleman takes time for a family picture after winning the 200-meter Class AAA gold medal in Austin. Pictured are: l-r, Derek, Carla, Derekia, Coy and Derek Coleman, Sr. Another state track champion from Faifield high school, Derekia Coleman, was welcomed home Saturday evening, hours after winning the Class AAA title in the 200-meter dash.

Miss Coleman was greeted at the west city limits by friends and family and received a police escort through town to the high school.

Earlier in the day, at 2:25 p.m., she outran the competition to claim a state 200-meter championship at the University Interscholastic League meet at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

"I think I won at the wire," the thinclad says. "I had to lean in there."

Miss Coleman was clocked at 25.09 seconds and the second place runner posted a 25.10 time. Only threetenths of a second separated the six finalists.

The FHS Lady Eagle also ran the 100-meter dash at state, finishing fifth in 12.19.

She joins a list of FHS athletes who have claimed track gold at state—-Gavan Bass won the long jump in 2008, Nanceen Perry won the 100- and 200-meter races four consecutive years from 1992-95 as well as other events, Tony Brackens won shot put in 1993 and Robert Thomas won the 200 in 1989.

ON ARRIVING HOME AS the Class AAA 200-meter dash champion, Derekia Coleman is greeted by Lady Eagles track teammates. Pictured are: l-r, Kirstie Brewer, Kiresten Cox, Miss Coleman, Bre West and Kristie Brewer. A senior student at FHS in the fall, Miss Coleman is setting a personal goal to beat the state record time of 23.3 seconds set in 1993 by Miss Perry.

"I think I can beat it. I need to keep practicing," the FHS athlete says.

Miss Coleman, 17, specializes in track because she says she does not enjoy the close contact of basketball and volleyball.

As a freshman student the thinclad had a good year on the track, but believes that early success set her up for diminished performances last year as a sophomore.

She injured a leg in long jump as a sophomore and couldn't run well, and the injury has been nagging to the point that she stopped competing in long jump this year. But she thinks there was a higher power at work.

"I got so big headed, until He had to take it back and I had to watch other people run my races," Miss Coleman says. "After I realized what was happening, my leg got better."

The athlete did not run well early in the 2009 season, but after she put her trust in God she came on strong at district, qualifying for region and then for state in the sprints.

Her father, Derek, reports that the family are devout members of Inspiring Word Gospel Center, especially after a bad car wreck that seriously injured two of his sons.

"We are a real blessed family. We are a real God-fearing family," Coleman declares.

The family realized Derekia was fast when she was a young girl. Her mother, Carla, was going to give her a spanking and Derekia sprinted out the door and down the street, at a speed her mother could not match.

"She was fast," Colaman says.

In addition to setting her sights on a return to state as a senior, and a chance to beat Miss Perry's standing record in the 200, Miss Coleman would like to help win another state team track title for FHS.

The Lady Eagles won the state team title in 1992 and 1993.

A state title could come with help from the 800-meter relay team that finished third in region this year, just missing a trip to Austin, while setting a new FHS record of 1:43.94 minutes.

"We had a real good chance to go to state in the 800 relay. I think we'll go next year," the 17-year-old says.

Running on the relay team were Miss Coleman, Barvion Wyatt, Kiresten Cox and Bre West. The team will need to replace Miss West who graduated last week.

The athlete does well in academics and reports that English is her favorite subject.

"If I don't keep my grades up, I don't get to run," she says.

Track, however, is her real passion.

"I always tell my mama that to some people this is just a race. But to me, it's more than a race. It is going to get me where I want to go," Miss Coleman says.

She plans to go to college when she graduates FHS next year, but has not decided where, or what she wants to study.

Older brother Coy is a student at Tyler Junior College, older brother Marquis is in Dallas and younger brother Derek will be a freshman student at FHS and plans on competing in all sports.

Outside school and track, Miss Coleman works at Texas Burger restaurant and spoils her Chihuaha, "Cutie Pye."