Montsho was suspended for two years after the she tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine at Glasgow 2014, where she had finished fourth. 

Her victory completed a golden - albeit a tarnished one - double for Botswana coming just 24 hours after her compatriot Isaac Makwala cruised to victory in the men’s 400m.

Montsho, the 2011 world champion, but whose career will forever have a shadow over it following her positive drugs test at Glasgow 2014, produced her quickest time for five years to triumph in 50.15sec, a remarkable performance at the age of 34. 

The mark was only 0.05 seconds shy of her Games record she set when winning at Delhi 2010. 

It is the first time in Commonwealth Games history that the 400m men's and women's events have been won by athletes from the same country.

Jamaica secured the silver and bronze medals with Anastasia Le-Roy finishing second in 50.57 and defending champion Stephenie McPherson coming third in 50.93.

"I was looking out for the Jamaicans because I knew they were strong," Montsho said.

"I was in lane six and they were in lanes five and three, so I was looking to keep an eye on them."

Kenya’s Maximila Imali, who led into the home straight, faded to fifth to miss out on becoming the first female sprint medallist from her country at a Commonwealth Games.

Earlier in the evening, Aisha Praught claimed a historic Commonwealth Games gold medal for Jamaica as she broke the Kenyan dominance of the women’s 3,000m steeplechase.

Before tonight, Jamaica had never won a Commonwealth medal in an event longer than 800m.

The race appeared over when Kenyan teenager Celliphine Chespol, the pre-event favourite and second-fastest woman in history for the distance, took a decisive 20 metre lead,

But Praught, originally born in Illinois but who qualifies for Jamaica through her father, slowly reeled in the fading Chespol over the final lap, sweeping past her on the final bend and taking gold in a time of 9min 21.00sec. 

Chespol, the world under-20 record holder, had to settle for the silver medal in 9:22.61.

Defending champion Purity Kirui of Kenya took the bronze in 9:25.74.

Kenya had claimed a clean sweep of the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at the two previous editions of the Commonwealth Games.

In the men’s long jump, South Africa's world champion Luvo Manyonga twice broke the Commonwealth Games record as he held off Australia’s Henry Frayne to claim victory.

Manyonga bettered the previous mark of 8.34 metres, set by Frayne in qualification, in round four after posting 8.35m.

The former crystal meth addict then broke the record again in round six, managing 8.41m.

Frayne had to settle for the medal with his second-round effort of 8.33m.

South Africa’s Ruswahl Samaai repeated his bronze medal-winning performance from Glasgow 2014 with a best of 8.22m.

There was also a Commonwealth Games record broken in the women’s javelin event as Kathryn Mitchell won the first of four gold medals for Australia this evening.

The 35-year-old, making her fourth Commonwealth Games appearance, registered a throw of 68.92m in the first round to better the previous mark of 65.96m set by fellow Australian Kimberley Mickle at Glasgow 2014.

Compatriot Kelsey-Lee Roberts produced a final-round effort of 63.89m to claim the silver medal, an upgrade on the bronze medal she won at Glasgow 2014.

It saw two-time former champion Sunette Viljoen of South Africa drop to the bronze medal position with 62.08m.

Another Australian gold medallist was Brandon Starc, who secured the men’s high jump gold medal with a personal best 2.32m.

Starc, younger brother of Australian cricketer Mitchell, cleared 2.32m at the first time of asking to clinch victory.

The Bahamas’ Jamal Wilson earned silver, his country’s first medal of Gold Coast 2018, with a first-time clearance of 2.30m.

Canada’s Django Lovett take bronze thanks to a successful third-time effort at 2.30m, bettering his previous best by three centimetres.

Australia’s two other gold medals came in the Para-athletics events, Cameron Crombie winning the men’s F38 shot put and Isis Holt the women’s T35 100m.

World champion and world record-holder Crombie enjoyed a routine victory.

He fell just short of overhauling his world record of 15.95m set last year, but an impressive third-round throw of 15.74m earned him victory.

Fellow Australian Marty Jackson took the silver medal with a season’s best 13.74m in the sixth and last round.

Bronze went to South Africa’s Reinhardt Hamman with a season’s best 13.15m.

Holt, meanwhile, lived up to pre-event predictions to cruise to success. 

The 16-year-old world and Paralympic champion, stopped the clock in 13.58.

Scotland's Maria Lyle claimed the silver medal in 15.14 and Australia's Brianna Coop clinched the bronze in 15.63.

Athletics action at Gold Coast 2018 is due to continue tomorrow.