DES MOINES, Iowa - Kirani James and Jenny Simpson highlighted a star-studded day of track and field during the Friday session of the 2016 Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee with a pair of world-leading marks and a Drake Relays and Drake Stadium record between the pair in Rio Olympic Games Preview events.

The men's 400 meters saw Kirani James outlast LaShawn Merritt in a dead heat down the homestretch. James, at 44.08, set a world best for 2016 and broke his Drake Relays record of 44.22, set in 2014. Merritt's time of 44.22 is the second best time in the world this season and matched James' previous record. James' time is the second-fastest 400 run before the month of May in track and field history.

Jenny Simpson, the 2011 World Champion, ran a world-leading time in the women's 1500 meters, crossing the line in 4:06.44. The Webster City, Iowa, native won her eighth race at Drake Stadium in nine tries, as she's won the last four invitational 1500 meters at the Drake Relays. Kate Grace ran the world's second-fastest time in 4:07.15, which was a personal-best for the 2013 Grand Blue Mile champion while Heather Kampf, the 2016 and 2015 Grand Blue Mile Champion, ran the world's third-fastest 1500 meters time of 4:07.26.

In the Rio Olympic Games Preview field events, Derek Drouin made history by becoming the first athlete to win the high jump three-consecutive years. Drouin's jump of 7-4 ¼ was tied by Bryan McBride, but was awarded to Drouin on a judge's decision. Drouin also holds the Drake Relays and Drake Stadium record in the high jump, passing a height of 7-10 ½ in 2014. 

Hy-Vee Night at the Drake Relays began with a unique, one of a kind event in the coed shuttle hurdle relay. The winning foursome of Kristi Castlin, Spencer Adams, Nia Ali, and Eddie Lovett won in a time of 54.42. World-record holder Aries Merritt, anchored the second place squad of Jasmin Stowers, Hansel Parchment, Jacqueline Coward, and Merritt in 54.77.

Collegiate competition saw Purdue claim a pair of individual titles with Symone Black of Purdue becoming the third-straight Big Ten runner to win the women's 400 hurdles in 57.72 as she topped two-time Drake Relays champion Alexis Franklin of Ohio State, who placed third. The Boilermakers' Savannah Carson then won the women's long jump with a mark of 20-8 1/2 to claim Purdue's second crown in the event.

To close the evening, Baylor's women's 4x800-meter relay team won the event in 8:34.22 with the fastest collegiate time this season and the second fastest in U.S. this outdoor season with Jessica Purtell, Maggie Montoya, Chelsea Orr and Olicia Williams clocking the winning time. It was the first win for the Bears in the 4x800, but their 37th win at the Drake Relays.

High school competition was highlighted by five Drake Relays records falling including Kiana Phelps breaking her own Drake Relays record in winning the girls discus with a throw of 162-7 for her fourth title in the event. She set the old mark of 159-4 last year. Abby Emsick of Council Bluffs Lewis Central is the only other four-time winner in Relays history in the event. She won the event from 1999-2002.  Phelps is also the state's all-time leader in the event at 179-7.

Dowling Catholic's Ryan Schweizer repeated as the boys champion in the 800 and broke his own Relays record as well. His time of 1:51.76 moves to fifth on the state's all-time list. Schweizer became the first repeat champion in the boys 800 meters since the event debuted in 2011. In addition, Dowling Catholic has won half of the boys 800-meter titles at the Drake Relays. 

Action at the 107th Drake Relays presented by Hy-Vee resumes at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning and continues with a full day of action at Drake Stadium. The majority of the day will be broadcast online via USATF.tv with competition from 2-4 p.m. being televised live on NBC Sports Network.