Sifan Hassan of The Netherlands was targeting the 1500m as the second part of her projected trio of victories in Tokyo, and having won the 5,000m title she was in confident mode in a discipline at which she won the world title two years ago.

But Kipyegon, beaten in Doha after returning to action following the birth of her first child, was a tougher proposition here, clinging to the leggy Dutch runner’s shoulder all the way round until the final bend, when she broke clear and ran on for gold in an Olympic record of 3min 53.11sec.

And as Hassan entered the straight another determined runner came past her, the pale Scot, Laura Muir, who took silver for Britain in a national record of 3:54.50, with the Dutch phenomenon, who will next contest the 10,000m, having to settle for bronze in 3:55.86.

"I knew Sifan is a very strong athlete, and I knew she would go fast because she wanted the gold," Kipyegon said. 

"I knew she was going to lead very quickly.  

"I really wanted to follow her and see what would happen at the finish line.

"Once I crossed the finish line, it was a very emotional moment for me. 

"I thought about my daughter who I left behind at home. 

"She wanted me to bring home a gold medal, and I am so happy and excited I did that." 

Muir, seventh in the Rio 2016 1500m final, said: "I'm just relieved to have finally won a medal and for it to be an Olympic silver is amazing."

She added that her decision not to double up at 800 metres had paid off. 

Hassan, meanwhile, reflected: "I tried my best, but I couldn't do more than this. 

"I think, for me, the third place is good.

"Now it is all about taking enough rest in order to be able to race again tomorrow."

Miller-Uibo, her hair now pink rather than the sky blue it was in the earlier rounds, looked bouncy before the start.

That confidence translated to the track, where she led into the final straight, powering clear of the field before crossing the line in an Oceania record of 48.36sec.

Silver went to the dark horse, Marileidy Paulino, in a Dominican Republic record of 49.20, with 35-year-old Allyson Felix of the United States getting bronze in her fifth Olympics after coming home in a season's best of 49.46 ahead of Jamaica's Stephenie-Ann McPherson, who clocked 49.61.

It was a solid gold bronze medal for Felix.

Miller-Uibo was a frankly shocked figure two years ago in Doha after an Oceania record of 48.37 was only enough for silver behind Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain, whose time of 48.14 was the fastest run since the 1985 world record of 47.60 set by East Germany's Marita Koch.

Naser, who runs for Bahrain, has recently been given a two-year ban for anti-doping whereabouts failures.

Miller-Uibo thus becomes the second woman to win back-to-back Olympic 400 metres titles after France's Marie-Jose Perec achieved that feat at the 1992 Barcelona Games and 1996 Atlanta Games.

“I am so happy right now I could cry," she said.

"I've been dealing with a whole lot of injuries and to be able to pull this one off is amazing.

"To be able to pull off matching gold medals, and to get an area record as well, I am so thankful."

Cheptegei’s 20-year-old compatriot Jacob Kiplimo, who had followed him home for bronze in the men’s 10,000m won by Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega, lead the field through the first 2000m in sharp fashion, ensuring it did not offer a sprinting opportunity to the new challenger from Spain, Mohamed Katir, who eventually finished eighth.

Kiplimo was fifth.

Cheptegei, who set the world 5,000m record of 12min 35.36sec last year, took over to lead through 3,000m, and after Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli had briefly taken it over with three laps to go, resumed first place decisively at the bell and drove on to win in 12:58.15.

Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed took silver in 12:58.61, and the US silver medallist at Rio 2016, Paul Chelimo, claimed bronze in 12:59.05 as he effectively jack-knifed on the line to edge the verdict from Kimeli, who was fourth in 12:59.17.

"It’s really a great moment," said Cheptegei. 

"I made a small mistake and I was regretting (having) to become a silver medallist.

"I came here to become an Olympic champion and my dream has been fulfilled today in a beautiful evening.

"I knew a lot of guys were strong so I had to take them through the lap and whoever was the strongest in the mind would win. 

"I knew I was strong in the mind because I broke a couple of world records."

Kimeli was not a happy runner afterwards.

"I was pushed by Chelimo, which disoriented me," the Kenyan said.

"Chelimo stepped aside, inside the track, so it was not fair for us.

"He stepped inside the track and that's where I lose the steps to Cheptegei.

"I was about to catch Cheptegei when Chelimo pushed me. I tried quickly to balance myself.

"It was almost the final lap. 

"So I tried to push, but he pushed me away from inside the track and he stepped inside the track. 

"It was not fair."

Chelimo added: "I knew it was going to be tough, that there was going to be a lot of bumping. 

"That’s part of the game and I tried to run a really smart race to get into the medals."