Sergey Shubenkov, meanwhile, became the first Russian athlete to claim a podium finish here while the home crowd were left disappointed as Laura Muir finished an agonising fourth.

McLeod, like Kipyegon aged 23, powered out of the blocks in the hurdles and withstood a mid-race challenge from Shubenkov - racing as an Authorised Neutral Athlete - to power home in 13:04sec and secure the first Jamaican gold medal of the week.

It followed the disappointment of Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Elaine Thompson each failing to win their respective 100m titles. 

It also made him the first  man from his country to ever win a world outdoor high hurdles title as he improved on the silver secured by Hansle Parchment - eighth today - two years ago in Beijing.

"This one is special, honestly," said the winner.

"There was a lot of pressure coming in but I channeled it positively. 

"It's totally different to last year [at Rio 2016] where we had Usain and Elaine winning, which I used to propel me."

Shubenkov, the 2015 world champion but who missed Rio 2016 due to Russia's suspension following allegations of state-sponsored doping, ran strongly from lane one to finish in 13.14.

He was granted permission to compete neutrally after proving he has been operating in an "effective testing system".

It marked his third successive medal at the biennial event after he also took the bronze at Moscow in 2013 and marked the first medal of the week for a Russian athlete.

"The Jamaican is just too fast," Shubenkov admitted. 

"I'm just happy to be competing at a World Champs and get a world medal.

"Last year was a disaster and not just because of the Russian ban, so I'm happy to be back winning a world medal.""

Balazs Baji of Hungary took a surprise bronze medal in 13.28.

The United States' world record holder Aries Merritt could not make a fairytale return to the Stadium where he had captured the Olympic gold medal in 2012, finishing fifth in 13:31.

This result was remarkable in itself, though, given how he missed Rio 2016 as he recovered from a kidney transplant following a donation by his sister.

Muir had led throughout the opening laps of the 1500m before fading to seventh place in last year's Olympic final in Rio.

She shot to the front again here but paced herself more carefully as she led the field through 800m in 2min 17.11sec.

Dutch world leader Sifan Hasan then made her move, powering to the front as Kipyegon followed closely behind. 

The two battled together down the back straight before entering the final 100m side by side, with Muir in third.

Kipyegon, the silver medallist in Beijing two years ago behind Ethiopia's world record holder Genzebe Dibaba, held her form brilliantly to triumph in 4:02.59.

"I thank God today, it was a good race in London," she said.

"I knew it would be fast, it is such a quality field."

Hasan faded badly and collapsed over the line in fifth place.

American Olympic bronze medallist Jennifer Simpson continued her superb record in major finals by finishing superbly in 4:02.76.

It followed her World Championship gold medal in Daegu in 2011 and bronze two years later in Moscow.

South Africa's Caster Semenya, better known as an 800m runner, came from nowhere to snatch bronze in 4:02.90 -0.09 seconds clear of Muir.

Dibaba had scraped unimpressively into the final and struggled again, finishing 12th and last in 4:06.72.

The night had begun with a one-minute silence in memory of Betty Cuthbert, Australia's four-time Olympic champion, who had died yesterday at the age of 79.

Kipyegon's gold means Kenya became the second country to win two gold medals here after Geoffrey Kirui's marathon victory yesterday.

The US top of the table with two golds, five silver and two bronze.

Kenya now hold a silver and two bronze as well as their double gold.

Ethiopia sit third on one gold and two silver medals.

South Africa, Venezuela, Poland, Greece, Bahrain, Belgium and Britain, as well as Jamaica, are the other nations to have won one gold medal each.