The 24-year-old, who became Britain's leading sprint hope here following the injury to the fastest man in the world this year James Dasaolu, who has run 6.47, had improved throughout the competition, running successive personal bests of 6.53, 6.52 and 6.49 in the final ahead of the United States favourite Marvin Bracy, who took silver in 6.51.

Who knows what Kilty might have happened had there been another couple of rounds ...

"I'm stunned," said the Middlesbrough-born sprinter, who said he had been training for the last year with UK-based American coach Rana Reider..

"I cannot believe it.

"Even yesterday some people told me that I should be happy to be here and I felt like an underdog.

"Nobody was thinking about me as favourite, so I showed them that they were all wrong.

"It is a big compensation to me for the past years.

"For the last four years I was knocked off the British selection.

" I've been in the middle of nowhere in the northeast of England, so a lot of times I had problems even getting to the track.

"I had no transport, so had to run on a road or grass somewhere.

"I've been training by myself all last season."

Britain's Richard Kilty wins the gold medal with team mate Dwain Chambers (right), Qatar's Femi Ogunode (left) and Jamaica's Nesta Carter in the 60m ©Getty Images

Nia Ali of the US produced the second shock of the night in the 60m hurdles as she moved past Australia's Olympic champion Sally Pearson over the final set of hurdles to take gold in a personal best of 7.80.

Pearson, who had run 7.79 in the first round, got away sharply to lead, but hit the last hurdle under pressure from Ali on her left, and had to settle for silver in 7.85.

As the rest of the field bounced back off the giant cushion provided beyond the finish line, she leant back against it, pale and temporarily stunned.

Britain's Tiffany Porter took bronze in 7.86.

Kamila Licwinko celebrates home gold in the high jump @AFP/Getty Images

A hugely competitive women's high jump final gave the home audience cause for celebration as their girl Licwinko reproduced the performance she had given in the Polish Championships here a fortnight earlier, equalling her national record clearance of 2.00 metres to earn joint gold with Russia's Maria Kuchina.

America's world and Olympic champion Ashton Eaton successfully defended his indoor heptathlon title, but just missed his own World Indoor record as he finished a second adrift of his target in the concluding 1,000m. It was hard to say whether he was more tired or frustrated afterwards.

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