NEW YORK – Alabama senior Miguel Pate launched himself into the long jump history books Friday night at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships – and his elite competitive career still lies ahead of him.

Pate’s jump was part of a stellar day of competition at the Armory Track & Field Center that also included a national high school record and another world-leading mark.

A senior at the University of Alabama, Pate jumped 8.59 meters/28 feet 2.25 inches to win the men’s long jump at the Armory Track & Field Center. Pate’s performance was the best indoor jump by an American since Carl Lewis set the world indoor record of 8.79m/28-10.25 at the 1984 Millrose Games in New York. Only Lewis and reigning Olympic and world champion Ivan Pedroso of Cuba (8.62/28-3.5; 8.60/28-2.75) have ever jumped farther than Pate.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m shocked,” said Pate, who sailed 28-plus on his second jump of the competition, passing on his remaining attempts. “Just to be mentioned in the same breath with those guys (Lewis and Pedroso), it’s an honor. … I knew I was going to jump far, but I didn’t think 28 (feet).”

2001 indoor champion Dwight Phillips was a distant second in the competition at 7.99/26-2.75.

Pate was fourth at the 2001 World Outdoor Championships and was the 2001 World University Games gold medalist. Entering Friday’s meet, he had the best indoor jump in the world in 2002 with a mark of 27-4.75, which he jumped in January in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

One national record fell Friday evening when high school phenom Stacy Ann Livingston anchored Boys and Girls High School of Brooklyn to a national high school record in the girls’ 4x800m relay. Her split of 2:06 propelled her team of Akilah Varsas, Keziah Fernandez and Meisue Francis to a time of 8:53.67.

The men’s shot put was long on drama and distance, as is usually the case when America’s best throwers are on hand. Adam Nelson won his second consecutive U.S. indoor title in the SoBe men’s shot put by unleashing the farthest throw in the world this season, 21.57 meters, 70 feet, 9.25 inches, on his third attempt. The mark was also a personal best.

“I’m in great shape right now,” Nelson said. “I feel very good and to throw this far so quickly is really fantastic.”

More surprising was the second-place finish by Christian Cantwell of the University of Missouri. Cantwell threw a personal best 20.86m/68-5.25, beating out past champions Kevin Toth (3rd, 20.26m/66-5.75) and Andy Bloom (4th, 20.02m/65-8.25).

“I’ve had a great indoor season,” the 21-year-old Cantwell said. “Doing this today is really nice against all these guys … We’ve had a lot of great shot putters in the U.S. in recent years, and someday I hope to be up there with them and eventually lead with the same character they did.”

“Christian Cantwell came out here and surprised all of us today,” Nelson said. “Everyone knew that he was capable of throwing those distances, but to do it here with the ‘old guard’ here, that’s pretty impressive.”

Tim Broe demonstrated an impressive kick over the final 200 meters, pulling away to win his second straight men’s 3,000m indoor title in 7:50.09. Matt Lane was second in 7:51.71. The win capped an impressive indoor campaign for Broe, who in January broke Steve Scott’s 13-year-old American record in the event with a run of 7:39.23 at the adidas Boston Indoor Games. Broe also won his second consecutive U.S. 4k cross country title in February.

Also kicking to victory was Amy Rudolph in the women’s 3,000m. The 1997 U.S. champion in the event was overtaken with 100m to go by three-time runner-up Cheri Kenah, but Rudolph came back in the final stretch to win in 8:58.18. Kenah had her fourth runner-up finish with a time of 8:58.32.

In the SoBe women’s weight throw Anna Norgren Mahon unseated six-time defending champion Dawn Ellerbe in an exciting competition.

A high school English teacher in Connecticut, Norgren Mahon had the best throw by an American in 2002, and her performance at the Armory reflected her fitness. Although she had already sealed the win with her third throw, Norgren Mahon uncorked the best throw of the competition on her sixth and final attempt (23.33m/76-6.5). Owner of the American record and world best, Ellerbe finished second at 22.44m/73-7.5.

“I was excited and anxious all week long, looking forward to the event,” Norgren Mahon said. “On the last throw I was trying for the world record (23.60m) and I got close, but I’m not quite there yet.”

The New York Athletic Club’s John McEwen defended his title the SoBe men’s weight throw with a mark of 21.11m/69-3.25. 1999 USA indoor champion Teri Tunks won her second indoor title in the SoBe women’s shot put with a mark of 18.00m/59-0.75m.

A new champion was crowned in the women’s triple jump, where Vanitta Kinard won her first U.S. title with a jump of 13.62m/44-8.25. Two-time defending champion and World Indoor bronze medalist Tiombe Hurd struggled with foul jumps and finished second at 13.36m/43-10.

Also earning her first-ever U.S. title was Mary Sauer in the Visa women’s pole vault. The top jumper in the U.S. this year, Sauer cleared 4.36m/14-3.5.

Jason Lunn continued the first-timer trend, winning the JP Morgan Chase men’s one mile by kicking down leader Brian Berryhill in the final 50 meters. Lunn finished in 3:57.45, followed by Berryhill in 3:57.73. Doubling back in the mile, Broe was third in 3:58.81.

After taking a year off from competition to finish her masters degree, Tisha Waller picked up from where she left off in the women’s high jump, winning with a jump of 1.93m/6-4. It was the fifth national indoor title for Waller, who won in 1996, ’98, ’99 and 2000. The 2001 USA indoor and outdoor champion, Amy Acuff, was second at 1.90m/6-2.75.

In the high school boys’ 4x800m relay, Notre Dame High School ran 7:51.39 to post the fastest prep time in the country this year. In Friday’s preliminary rounds, Kelli White posted the fastest time in the 200m (23.47 seconds) while Shawn Crawford had the best time in the men’s 200m by more than half a second, with 20.53.

Brandon Couts ran 46.69 as the fastest man in the first round of the 400. Michele Davis of UNLV was the fastest woman in 53.19.

Nicole Teter was the top qualifier in the Nike women’s 800m with a first-round time of 2:05.89, while Derrick Peterson had the fastest men’s qualifier with 1:48.66.

The 2002 Indoor Championships conclude Saturday with finals in all remaining events.

The Indoor Championships will be broadcast nationally from 4-5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN on Sunday, March 3. For complete results, athlete quotes and meet schedule, visit the USATF Web site, http://www.usatf.org

Pappas leads heptathlon competition

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Tom Pappas leads after the first day of competition at the USA Track & Field Men's Indoor Heptathlon Championships hosted by the University of North Carolina. Pappas totaled 3888 points through the first four events. Steven Moore is in second place with 3239 points and Alex Sprague is one point behind Moore with 3238 points.

Pappas placed first in the high jump (6-8 1/4), shot put (50-9 1/4) and long jump (24-5 1/2). Pappas also placed second in the 60-meter dash at 6.93.

Action continues Saturday at 11 a.m.

"I'm pretty disapointed right now in that high jump, because it's something that I felt like coming in I could jump at least 7-2 or 7-3 if not mor," Pappas said. "It was just a mental mistake on all three of those jumps, only jumping 6-8. Other than that, the first three events I was happy with."