Karsten Warholm powered his way to the world 400m hurdles title on Wednesday night in Budapest. The 27-year-old Norwegian won in 46.88m to claim a third gold over the distance following triumphs in London in 2017 and Doha two years later.
"It's extra special to have the gold medal again because I lost it last year in Eugene," said Warholm.
"And now to have it around my neck, I feel it's back where it belongs."
Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands took silver and Rai Benjamin of the United States was third.
In a sign of the competition facing Warholm, Roshawn Clarke, the 19-year-old Jamaican competing at his first world championships, was fourth.
The race provided a fitting finale to a series of thrilling showdowns on the fifth day of competition at the National Athletics Centre.
Just before the hurdles, Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic found gold and redemption in the women's 400m after silver at the Tokyo Olympics and silver at the world championships in Eugene last year.
The 26-year-old, who won in a Dominican national record of 48.76 seconds, dedicated the medal to her coach and family.
"It has been a dream to win gold," she said. "I have worked very hard for this."
Natalia Kaczmarek from Poland took the silver and Sada Williams from Barbados won the bronze after crossing the line in 49.60 seconds.
Warholm's victory soothed the disappointment following the men's 1500m. Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigsten led the race from the start and the 22-year-old Norwegian was in pole position at the bell for the final lap
Loss
But the Briton Josh Kerr tested the Scandinavian's resolve down the back straight and though he was initially repelled, Kerr surged again and on his second attempt took the lead.
He held on as Ingebrigsten tried to reply to savour the first gold medal of his senior career after a gutsy run of 3.29.38.
"The gameplan was to keep a cool head and to make sure I took opportunities when they arose. In the last couple of months me and the coaching stgaff have put together a race plan that we thought would enable us to come away with a medal and if I executed it well and felt sharp on the day, it could lead to gold.
"I had a lot of belief in myself but I had to get it right on the day."
The unfortunate Ingebrigsten was left to lament a second consecutive world championships silver behind a Briton after Jake Wightman pipped him to the title in Eugene.
Narve Gilje Nordas completed Norway's haul on the night with bronze.
"All credit to Kerr," said Ingebrigsten. "He had a good race. I feel a bit unlucky not being able to do what I've done during the season especially at the world championships."
Munificence abounded in the women's pole vault though between Nina Kennedy from Australia and the defending champion Katie Moon.
Kennedy, the Commonwealth champion, took the lead with a successful first jump at 4.85m
Moon also passed the mark but on her second$ attempt and thus began the fight for gold between the two at 4.90m.
Kennedy passed it on her third attempt leaving the American one last chance to take the competition bar higher. And the 32-year-old went over on her third attempt.
Neither Kennedy nor Moon succeeded at 4.95m and rather than trying to seek a winner via a jump-off, they conferred, hugged and shared a golden smile.
