NEW YORK, March 2 - American university student Miguel Pate recorded the fourth best indoor long jump in history with a leap of 8.59 metres to win the event at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships Friday.

Pate’s effort was the best distance by an American since nine-times Olympic champion Carl Lewis’s 8.79m world indoor record in 1984.

Only Lewis and reigning Olympic and world champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba have jumped further than Pate.

Last year’s indoor champion Dwight Phillips, came a distant second with a leap of 7.99.

Adam Nelson won his second consecutive U.S. indoor shot put title with a season-best throw of 21.57 metres on his third attempt.—Reuters