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Thomas' talent runs in the family

In grade school, Markeeta Thomas' family didn't think she would amount to much on the track. The youngest of three girls - all of whom ran track - did not impress early, finishing toward the back of her races.

In grade school, Markeeta Thomas' family didn't think she would amount to much on the track.

The youngest of three girls - all of whom ran track - did not impress early, finishing toward the back of her races.

Now, Thomas, a Paul Robeson senior bound for Clemson, makes her last trip to the Penn Relays this week as the school record-holder in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.13 seconds.

"[My talent] snuck up on me," said Thomas, who is set to compete in the 400-meter hurdles championship at the Penn Relays on Thursday. She's also a part of Robeson's 100 and 400 relay teams. "I felt like I had good genes, but I wasn't that fast. My family thought I was going to be the slowest runner on the team. They said I just started running faster out of nowhere."

Markeeta's two sisters, Tyeshia and LaTavia Thomas, 30 and 26, helped her progression as a child.

Markeeta said Tyeshia and LaTavia, an Olympic trial finalist, 12-time college All-American at LSU and a four-time state champion in the 800 meters at West Catholic, helped her build confidence headed into high school competition.

"I have so much family that runs track . . . they would give me advice," Thomas said. "They'd show me how to run my races. I was never nervous, they always made me feel comfortable. I was always confident."

Robeson coach Tim Hickey, who coached Markeeta's older sisters at West Catholic and her mother at William Penn, came out of retirement from coaching largely because of Thomas.

"I thought I was through with coaching," Hickey said. "The coach at Robeson was getting ready to move on . . . Markeeta's mother got on me to come back."

Following a promising freshman campaign, a broken tailbone sidelined Thomas for the majority of her sophomore season.

Discouraged by the injury, she was unsure of not only her ability to return to winning fashion, but also to lure Division I colleges.

"My hopes went down when I got injured," Thomas said. "I didn't think I would be the same."

However, Thomas' not only returned to peak form her junior year, but won the Class AA 100- and 300-meter hurdles at the PIAA state championships. She set a school record of 14.13 in the 100 meters, breaking her previous time of 14.28.

The breakout season for Thomas unexpectedly piqued the interest of many Division I schools before she ultimately decided on Clemson.

"It was surprising when Division I schools went after me," Thomas said. "When I came back from my injury, a lot of schools contacted me and that got my confidence back up. It drove me to prove that they should want me. I wanted to prove them right."

Hickey said Thomas' qualification for the 400 hurdles championship at the Penn Relays is already a great achievement, and he has hopes to see her improve on her 11th-place finish last season.

"Just getting into the Penn Relays as an individual is quite an accomplishment," Hickey said. "There's a whole lot of state champions going in. ... She got 11th last year, I'd let to see her get a little bit better than that this year."

rallysports@phillynews.com