The 21-year-old from from Crewe regained the title she last won in 2008 with victory of New Zealand's Sarah Walker and America's Alise Post, winning in 38.819sec.

Reade was the favourite for the inaugural Olympic gold medal at Beijing in 2008 but crashed in the final.

She was then forced to miss last year's World Championships in Adelaide because of injury.

"It's absolutely amazing - I'm emotional at the moment but the feeling is so good," she said after regaining her title in South Africa.

"Missing last year was one of the hardest things, but every day that went past I was digging more and more, and it's paid off."

The final of the men's event in Pietermaritzburg was won by Olympic champion Maris Strombergs of Latvia.

He dominated for most of the race and came home ahead of South Africa's Sifiso Nhlapo and Joris Daudet of France.