DES MOINES, IOWA - A whopping 12 records were set, along with five world leading marks, at the 101st running of the Drake Relays Saturday.

Eighteen records were set during the three-day track and field festivial which enjoyed its 45th consecutive year of a Saturday sellout crowd.

The field included three reigning 2010 World Indoor champions in hurdler Lolo Jones, middle distance star Bernard Lagat and shot putter Christian Cantwell.

Only Cantwell was able to enjoy the winner's circle capturing his seventh Drake Relays career victory in the invitational shot put with a throw of 71 feet two inches, which ranks second on the outdoor world list.

“This was my first outdoor meet,” said Cantwell, who won the 2009 World Outdoor Championships and took home a silver in the 2008 Olympics. “You stop indoor season and take a little time off and don't really know where you're at.

“I imagine I'm going to add a little bit to this by the time (USA Outdoor nationals at Drake) come around (in June)."

Jones, the Des Moines hometown product who made history when she became the first woman ever to defend a World Indoor 60 hurdles title, had to take a backseat along with Lagat.

Damu Cherry, who finished fourth in the 2008 Olympics, tied a world leading mark in the women's 100 hurdles of 12.65 while beating Jones who was second in 12.58. Two-time Olympian Perdita Felicien, a former world champion, was third in 12.94.

“This is my first time at Drake and I had my fastest time,” said Cherry. “The crowd really got me going.  I said to myself, 'this is huge'. I said to Lolo 'let's play and have fun.' And we did. I loved it. But I actually felt her during the whole race.”

“I knew it would be a very close race,” said Jones. “She (Damu) had the second fastest time in the world coming in, so I just wanted to execute a good race.”

Lagat, who won his second World Indoor 3,000 title in March, couldn't hold off training partner Boaz Lalang down the homestretch in one of the greatest mile races in Drake Relays history.

The top six finishers all broke four minutes while recording the top six fastest mile times in the world this spring.

Lalang, from Kenya, won in 3:56.14 followed by Bernard Lagat in 3:56.38, Phillip Lagat in 3:57.55, Peter van der Westhuizen 3:57.96; Rob Myers 3:58.17 and Tommie Schmitz 3:59.45.

“It was good to beat him (Lagat), but it's not like he is just some guy,” said Lalang. “In practice I always follow him, like today. Usually in practice I don't outkick him.”

“I really wanted to give my best,” said Lagat. “But I had to run where I felt I would be comfortable. It is all part of the development you go through in a season, particularly this early.”

Two-time Olympian Chaunte' Lowe posted the world's top outdoor mark in the women's high jump at 6 feet 5 inches en route to setting a Drake Relays record while defending her title.

“The crowd was great. I really wanted to come out here and give them a show,” said Lowe, who earned a bronze medal in the 2010 World Indoor Championship. “I think that this is really going to be a good place for the USA Outdoor Championships and hopefully we'll see an American record here the next time I come - so that would be awesome.”

LaShauntea Moore set a Drake Relays record en route to running the fastest women's time in the world this year in the 100-meter dash of 11.13 seconds.

“The crowd let me know I had such a fast time,” said Moore. “I crossed the line and saw 11.16, then saw 11.13, then saw 11.06 and I was halfway with my victory lap. I had 11.06 with no wind. I am very thrilled with this win.”

“I have been training very hard, and it has been showing up in practice, so the only thing was for it to show up on the track.”

Three-time German Olympian Nadine Kleinert, in her Drake Relays debut, set a meet record in the women's shot put with a throw of 61-3. She earned a silver medal in the 2008 World Outdoor Championships.

Becky Briesch captured the invitational women's discus in both a meet and Drake Stadium mark of 211-3. Stephanie Brown-Trafton, who won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, was fourth at 197-3.

Four-time World Championships medalist Wallace Spearmon won the men's invitational 200-meter dash in a world-leading time of 20.20 but fell short in his attempt at the Drake Relays mark of 20.05 by Michael Johnson in 1997.

“It was a little disappointing,” said Spearmon. “I definitely expected to run a sub-20. It didn't happen today, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I just had high expectations."

Rising star Javier Culson from Puerto Rico posted the second fastest outdoor time in the world en route to winning the men's invitational 400 hurdles in 48.67.

“I felt strong the last 100 meters,” said Culson who earned a silver medal in the 2009 World Championships. “I feel great because this was my first race of the season and I ran a good time.”

Jamaican national champion Isa Phillips, who also was the defending Drake Relays champion, placed second in 49.47.

Ryan Wilson defended his title in the men's invitational 110 hurdles in 13.45.

Wisconsin and Iowa State ran the Nos. 2 and 3 outdoor times in the world in the men's university distance medley relay with the Badgers being clocked in 9:32.84 followed by the Cyclones in 9:33.39.

The Minnesota women set a meet record in the 4x1600 relay in 18:58.82.

Two-time NCAA indoor champion Blessing Okagbare anchored Texas-El Paso to its second sprint relay victory in as many days. This time she led the Miners to victory in the 4x100 relay in 44.45. On Friday Texas-El Paso won the 4x200 relay in school-record fashion.

Baylor continued its dominance in the men and women's university 4x400 relays. Baylor had a winning time of 3:03.29 in the men's relay and 3:33.32. The Baylor men have won Drake Relays titles in the 4x400 relay 16 times in the last 19 years.

West Des Moines Dowling Catholic senior Katie Flood made her last Drake Relays appearance memorable by lowering her national leading prep time in the 1,500-meter run to a meet record 4:28.30. She also ran the anchor leg on the winning 4x800 relay which set a meet record of 9:11.01.

Flood won six individual Drake Relays titles including four straight in the 3,000 and two in the 1,500.