Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon also got a world title 12 months after her Rio Games triumph, in a thrilling women’s 1,500m final.
Yulimar Rojas gave Venezuela a first-ever athletics world title as she denied Colombian Caterina Ibarguen a record third straight gold by two centimetres; while top favourite Anita Wlodarczyk claimed a third hammer throw gold.
McLeod led from start to finish for a convincing victory in 13.04 seconds, after Jamaica’s 100m runners had managed only a bronze from retirement-bound superstar Usain Bolt while Elaine Thompson failed to medal on the women’s side.
The 2015 champion Sergey Shubenkov took silver in 13.14, the first medal for the 19 Russians competing at the worlds as neutral athletes as their federation remains suspended in connection with a doping affair. Bronze went to Hungary’s Balasz Baji in 13.28.
“There was a lot of pressure coming in but I channelled it positively,” McLeod said.
“It’s totally different to last year where we had Usain and Elaine winning, which I used to propel me. I didn’t have that this time so I really wanted to come out and shine my own light.”
Shubenkov said: “The Jamaican is just too fast. I’m just happy to be competing at a world champs and get a world medal. Last year was a disaster and not just because of the Russian ban (on competing at the Olympics) so I’m happy to be back winning a world medal.”
In the 1,500m, Kipyegon had the most stamina in a sprint down the home stretch to hold on for victory in 4 minutes 2 minutes 59 seconds.
The 2011 champion Jennifer Simpson got silver for the US in 4:02.76 and South African 800m world and Olympic champion Caster Semenya stole bronze by seven-hundredth from Britain’s Laura Muir with a late lunge in her first major 1,500m final.
“I knew it would be fast, it is such a quality field. The best was going to win here. It was always going to be quick and competitive,” Kipyegon said.
The thrilling triple jump saw the lead change change several times between Ibuarguen and Rojas before the Venezuelan unleashed the winning hop, skip and jump effort of 14.91m in her penultimate attempt.
The 2016 Olympic champion Ibuarguen took silver with 14.89 and London 2012 gold medallist Olga Rypakova of Kazakhstan bronze with 14.77.
Rojas gold came the day after pole vaulter Robeilys Peinado the first-ever worlds medal, a bronze, for Venezuela which is embroiled in a political crisis as President Nicolas Maduro moves to consolidate power in response to often-violent protests against his rule.
The world record holder Wlodarczyk left it late to underline her hammer dominance with a 41st straight competition win, taking the lead in the fourth round and following up with her best throw of 77.90m in the fifth attempt.
China’s Wang Zheng took silver with 75.94m and bronze went to Poland again, from Malwina Kopron’s first-round toss of 74.76m.