The Briton crossed the line in 11.26sec, with German Streng stopping the clock in 11.56.

His countryman Markus Rehm was third in 11.85 on a pulsating start to the Championships in the British city of Swansea.

"It's a nice relief," said Peacock.

"There was a lot of pressure on me coming here.

"When everyone is telling you you're the favourite then it adds to the pressure.

"I knew it was a good field.

"Felix is a very good athlete and he's going to get better."

Less than hour before Peacock's triumph, Ireland's Jason Smyth was lining up amidst unfamiliar competitors.

Just a day before the start of the Championships, Smyth was reclassified from a T13 to a T12 athlete because of a deterioration in his eyesight.

The Beijing 2008 and London 2012 100m and 200m T13 champion said before taking to the track in Swansea: "It was not what I was expecting.

"I have found it hard to get my head around the fact that a few days before my competition everything has changed; the days I am competing, who I compete against, everything.

"It also means since the last time I was classified my eyesight has got worse which is never what you want to hear."

But he put all that behind him to take the start line of the T12 final, securing gold in dominant fashion with a time of 10.78.

Ireland's Jason Smyth put a last-minute reclassification behind him to take an impressive gold medal in the 100m T12 ©Getty Images



Russian's Artem Loginov was second on 11.16, with Joan Munar Martinez of Spain in third with a personal best of 11.19.

In the women's 100m T44, favourite Marlou van Rhijn of The Netherlands came away with gold, but she was made to work hard for it with a narrow victory over German Irmgard Bensusan in a time of 13.18.

Another favourite in the form of Britain's Hannah Cockroft also secured gold, with a comfortable win in the women's 100m T34.

Finland had a good evening, with Henry Manni winning the men's 100m T34, followed by Leo-Pekka Tahti who won the men's 100m T54.

In the longer distances, Switzerland's Manuela Schaer won the the 400m T54, clocking 59.11, while Poland's Alicja Fiodorow won the women's 400m T47.

Earlier, Russia's Margarita Goncharova added the European long jump F38 crown to her world and Paralympic titles.

Her opening jump of 4.86m won her what she hopes will be one of four golds, with 100m and 400m T38 to come, along with the 4x100m T35-38.

Eighteen-year-old Samantha Kinghorn won the first gold medal for the home nation by winning the women's 400m T53.

She doubled her haul by winning the 100m T53 in the evening session.

Samantha Kinghorn gave the British crowd a lift on the opening morning of action in Swansea, by winning the country's first gold of the Championships ©Getty Images



"It's great winning a gold medal in front of a home crowd and my family have travelled down from Scotland to see me race - it's amazing," she said.

The first European record of the Championships came courtesy of the Czech Republic's shot put F37 defending champion Eve Berna, whose 11.01m - one centimetre further than she achieved at the London 2012 Paralympics - clinched her gold.

On a day of almost non-stop medal action, Nantenin Keita of France won gold in the women's 400m T13 with a time of 59.46, while world javelin F12 champion Anna Sorokina of Russia sealed European gold with a personal best throw of 40.67m.

The sporting action followed yesterday's Opening Ceremony, with everything from Samba bands to a Welsh male choir entertaining the crowd at the Swansea University International Sports Village.

It began with a performance from the 215 City of Swansea Squadron RAF cadets.

Officials including the Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea, Councillor Ceinwen Thomas, were in the stands to greet more than 550 athletes from 37 countries as they walked down the track during the Ceremony.

"This event builds on the momentum of those fantastic London Games and I am sure that Swansea 2014 will help to raise the profile of Para-sport and create further opportunities for sporting success for all," said IPC President Sir Philip Craven.

"To deliver an event of this magnitude takes a monumental effort and the passion and teamwork that all partners have displayed since bidding for, and winning, this event has been nothing short of immense."