Belaud, a world junior champion in 2012, finished seventh in the fencing and riding sections and just 32nd in the swim.

But he saved his best performance for the run-shoot, where he produced the quickest time of the day to rise from sixth place and win a magnificent gold.

His time of 10:41 meant he overhauled Russian rival Aleksander Lesun and claim gold by just four points.

 “It feels amazing to win. I’m now realising that this is a very good day for me," said the winner afterwards.

"I think I had a good competition - my swimming was okay but my fencing was very good and after the combined, it was just a case of ‘go fast go fast!

“I won in the last 100 metres and I am very happy.

"It’s amazing - yesterday Elodie Clouvel won a silver medal and I’m very happy for her.

"Today, I won the gold medal and I’m just so happy."

Lesun, who has won a medal at every World Championships since 2010, excelled in front of his home crowd only to be agonisingly pipped at the death as he registered the eighth fastest run of the day.

Jung Jinhwa of South Korea took the bronze medal with 1510 points.

An Egyptian trio of Omar El Geziry, Yasser Hefny and Amro El Geziry finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Belaud's victory, which followed a team gold in 2014, was all the more remarkable as his girlfriend Elodie Clouvel won women's individual silver yesterday.