The single field event final saw Canada’s Derek Drouin add high jump gold, with a clearance of 2.38, to the bronze he shared with Mutaz Essa Barshim at London 2012, although the Qatari athlete also went one step up the podium here to silver.

There was particular interest too in the eighth qualifier for tomorrow's women's long jump final, with a best of 6.64m - Darya Klishina, the sole Russian track and field athlete here, the woman who was in, then out, then - thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the last minute - back in again.

"It is very hard being the only Russian, as normally we are a big team with big support and I am alone,” Klishina said.

“I want the Russian team here with me. I was nervous. I had too much stress over the last week but I do not want to talk about the last week."

The evening began on an unpleasant note with the medal ceremony for the men's pole vault as France's silver medallist Renaud Lavillenie was seriously booed as he was introduced, causing bronze medallist Sam Kendricks of the United States to double-take and awaiting home gold medallist Thiago Da Silva to hold up his arms in an extended shrug of disapproval.

Lavillenie - and Kendricks, and others - were booed on occasions as they deliberately tried to prevent the local boy from winning by vaulting higher than him. When they failed to do so, there were loud cheers as if they had cleared a world record.

The Frenchman complained afterwards, saying "it was not fair play from the stadium." 

And tonight he got it all over again, only louder.

As the trio posed for the traditional medal-chewing pictures and the half-full stadium chanted “Thiam..Thiam..Thiam..”, France's world record holder and London 2012 champion looked deeply upset.

McLeod, who won the world indoor title in March and has dominated the outdoor event, heading the world lists with 12.98, grew up with the name of “Runner”, and recalls: “I couldn't wait for the weekends to come when I would have a race and the shopkeepers would reward the winner with a biscuit.”

This race ended with a golden biscuit which many great athletes have striven for and failed to secure down the years – and he never looked like losing it as he dominated the race from the gun to win in 13.05, the first Jamaican to take a gold in this event.

McLeod was followed home by Spain's naturalised Cuban Orlando Ortega in 13.17, with Dimitri Bascou of France earning bronze in 13.24 ahead of his compatriot Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, who clocked 13.29.

Maybe it was the memory of all those biscuits, but McLeod had food on his mind after his victory.

"Hurdles is all about character,” he said.

”I worked hard, prayed hard and seized the moment.

“I can't get my mind around this.

“Is this real?

“To God be the glory.

"Now I'm going to eat as much ice cream and cake as I can."

The women’s 1500m began as a jog and turned into a race with laps from the end as Dibaba took off on a long surge for home.

She was initially tracked by British record holder Laura Muir, but as they reached the bell, Kipyegon had moved up and was soon the only serious challenger to the leader as Muir slipped back and the field began to move past her around the final bend.

As they came into the straight the the woman who last summer broke the world record that had stood for 23 years faded as the young Kenyan came past her to win in 4:08.92, with Dibaba hanging on for silver in 4:10.27 in front of the fast-finishing 2011 world champion Jennifer Simpson, who clocked 4:10.53 to win a first Olympic medal at this event for the United States.

Simpson’s compatriot Shannon Rowbury was fourth in 4:11.05.

"I had some injuries in the last month and I was not able to train as hard as usual,” said Dibaba.

“I had a fierce competitor and I'm happy with my result.

"With six men clear over 2.33m, the high jump final briefly threatened to become an epic contest, but although it remained compulsive it never reached remarkable heights.

Six soon became three, and the medals were destined, in whatever order, for Barshim, Ukraine’s 2013 world champion Bohdan Bondarenko and Drouin.

Barshim and Drouin maintained their faultless progress as the made first time clearances of 2.36.

Bondarenko, also without a failure, elected to pass to 2.38.

But while Drouin maintained his immaculate record with another first-time clearance the next stage saw Barshim produce three failures, and Bondarenko two before gambling on a final attempt at 2.40.

Bondarenko baulked at his first attempt like a nervous horse, and although he ran back to his mark and made another effort as the clocked ticked down, he crashed through the bar to bronze, settling the silver upon Barshim and assuring Drouin of gold.

“This is the first silver for my country and I literally felt like everybody's behind my back - I wanted this for them more than for myself,” said Barshim.

"I'm satisfied with what I have done today.

“I will try really hard to get gold at Tokyo 2020."