Makwala attacked from the gun and proved a class above the rest of the field in a weakened 400 metres, while Semenya left it late before demolishing her rivals in the home straight of the 1500m.

The South African gained further ground with every stride to cross in 4min 00.71sec - taking almost four seconds off Kenyan Hellen Obiri's Games record of 4:04.43 set in qualifying four years ago in Glasgow. 

She also broke the South African record set by Zola Budd in Port Elizabeth in 1984 shortly before she was spirited away by the Daily Mail to compete for Great Britain.

South Africa were banned at the time because of its Apartheid policies and it was Budd’s potential participation for England that led to the African countries boycotting the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.

It is fitting then that Semenya should break a record that has long been a target in these Games.

Her time today was particularly impressive considering she was content to sit in the pack for most of the race and not push until the final stages.

Kenya's Beatrice Chepkoech hung on for the silver medal in a personal best 4:03.09 and Wales' fast-finishing Melissa Courtney took third in a best of 4:03.44.

Makwala went out hard and was comfortably clear off the bend before holding-on to win in 44.35sec - a good time considering the wet conditions.

He carried-on around the bend to celebrate with the national flag - and deliver some customary celebratory press-ups - as his rivals slumped on the track showing noticeably more fatigue.

Baboloki Thebe clinched a silver medal for Botswana to complete one of four 1-2 finishes this evening in 45.09 and Javon Francis of Jamaica took bronze in 45.11. 

There was a national record in fourth for India's Anas Muhammed Yahya in 45.31.

The field was lacking the injured world and Olympic champion and world record holder Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, as well as The Bahamas' world silver medallist Steven Gardiner and England's Matthew Hudson-Smith, disqualified after running out of his lane in the heats.

Jamaica's Ronald Levy was not affected by the rain which made 110m hurdling extra tricky moments before the athletes were introduced.

He powered clear to win in 13.19, three hundredths of a second ahead of team-mate Hansle Parchment.

Australia's Nicholas Hough took the bronze medal in a personal best of 13.38 as England's recently crowned world indoor champion Andrew Pozzi finished a disappointing joint sixth after clattering the first hurdle.

Another Jamaican 1-2 followed in the women's triple jump.

The order was not determined until the very final jump, however, as Kimberly Williams produced a personal best of 14.64 metres to leapfrog team-mate Shanieka Ricketts, who had led with 14.52m.

Dominica won their first ever Commonwealth Games medal with a bronze for Thea LaFond in 13.92m.

Drama in the decathlon had begun earlier on the final day when Canada's overnight leader Damian Warner missed three pole vault attempts at 4.50m and tumbled out of contention.

The Olympic bronze medallist had been poised to successfully defend the title he won at Glasgow 2014 but, with his medal chances gone, he withdrew from the final two events.

Lindon Victor duly assumed the lead and held on in the concluding 1500m to triumph with 8,303 points.

It marked Grenada's only second-ever Commonwealth Games gold four years after 400m runner Kirani James clinched their first at Glasgow 2014

Pierce LePage of Canada finished second on 8,171 points and Cedric Dubler of Australia the bronze with 7,406.

Another dramatic finish came in the men's T54 1500m wheelchair final when Alexandre Dupont of Canada won in 3:11.75. 

He was chased all the way down the home straight by Australia's Kurt Fearnley, the Gold Coast 2018 ambassador, who had to settle for silver for a second consecutive Commonwealth Games in 3:11.92.

The bronze medal went to Jake Lappin, also of Australia, in 3:12.60.

The host nation had more to celebrate when Madison de Rozario won the corresponding T54 1500m women's race in 3:34.06 ahead of team-mate Angela Ballard by 2.79 seconds. 

Diane Roy of Canada was third in 3:36.97.

Julia Ratcliffe continued New Zealand's throwing prowess tonight with hammer victory in 69.94m. 

Alexandra Hulley registered 68.20m for the silver medal and Australian team-mate Lara Nielsen managed 65.03m for the bronze.

Defending champion Sultana Frizell of Canada was fourth and England's Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon was last after three fouls to compound a wretched session for England.