At the other end of her career, Poland’s 35-year-old Anita Wlodarczyk secured an unprecedented hat-trick of Olympic women’s hammer throw titles, and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah also embraced history as she completed her double sprint double by successfully defending the 200m title.

Duplantis, who set world records last year of 6.17 metres and 6.18m, rose superbly to the challenge of earning what will surely be the first of many global titles as he cleared without blemish up to and including 6.02m.

That proved too much for his gutsy United States challenger Christopher Nilsen, who had previously beaten the US-based Swede in college competition but had to accept silver after clearing a best of 5.97m.

Brazil’s defending champion Thiago Braz earned bronze with a best of 5.87m on a night when France’s 34-year-old London 2012 champion and former world record -holder Renaud Lavillenie battled bravely but fruitlessly against the handicap of the injury he sustained to his right ankle in competition last month.

Duplantis, always in control of the competition, finished by setting the bar at what would have been a world record of 6.19m, but despite a tantalisingly close first effort, the new mark eluded him - at least for a little bit longer.

"I felt like it was there when I went over," Duplantis said. 

"I felt I had the record right there - but then I just brushed the bar.

"I haven't watched it back yet, but it was close, right?

"It's going to be heartbreaking!

"But I can't be upset about that tonight.

"Even saying the word 'Olympics' makes you realise just how big it is.

"I don't want to think about anything in the future too much right now - I just want to chill for a week and enjoy what has happened, because everything was geared to this."

In the 800 metres, Mu, leggy and graceful, had wowed at the US trials with a 1min 56.07sec run, the fastest of the year to that point.

She led at the bell in tonight’s final and was never headed thereafter, floating home in a US record of 1:55.21.

Another hugely talented 19-year-old, Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson, broke from the pack to secure the silver medal.

The European indoor champion came home in a British record of 1:55.88, breaking the mark set by Athens 2004 double gold medallist Kelly Holmes.

Mu’s fellow American Raevyn Rogers, the 2019 world silver medallist, clocked a personal best of 1:56.81 to finish with the bronze medal.

Briain's Jemma Reekie recorded a personal best of 1:56.90 in fourth, and China’s fifth-placed Wang Chunyu also ran her fastest-ever time of 1:57.00, as did seventh-placed Briton Alexandra Bell, who finished in 1:57.66.

"I kind of suck at taking everything all in, so I feel like this really won’t kick in until I am home," Mu said. 

"I will be like, 'Oh my God, I actually did that'."

Commenting on the silver medallist, she added: "She is amazing and only 19. 

"I am sure in the next couple of years we are definitely going to push each other. 

"That record is going to go down, just because we are good athletes."

Hodgkinson concurred with that view as she reviewed her own progress this year.

"From European Indoors to breaking some records to now the biggest stage on the world, still a junior is absolutely crazy," Hodgkinson said.

"And there's not just one 19-year-old in the race, there is two, which is unbelievable. 

"Hopefully it stems for a good competitive 10-15 years ahead and faster times on the horizon." 

Having won the 100m and 200m at Rio 2016, Thompson-Herah was already halfway to a successful defence after earning gold in the shorter of the two sprints here in an Olympic record of 10.61sec.

She completed the job with a national record of 21.53sec, putting her second on the all-time list behind the late US sprinter Florence Griffith-Joyner.

Namibia's 18-year-old Christine Mboma, who moved past Jamaica's 2013 world champion and two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, took silver in her third consecutive junior world record in 21.81.

Gabrielle Thomas of the US also came past the 34-year-old Fraser-Pryce to claim bronze in 21.87.

"It feels amazing to win two golds again," said Thompson-Herah. 

"I have had a rough week, I haven't slept after the 100m final.

"I really had to pull it out to win the 200m. 

"It's a new PB [personal best] and a national record."

Mboma's silver medal comes after a chaotic and controversial build-up to the Games.

Both she and Beatrice Masilingi were prevented from running in the 400m by World Athletics because their naturally-occurring testosterone levels are too high.

Under the global governing body's rules, such athletes must take drugs if they want to compete in women's events ranging from 400m to a mile.

They were allowed to compete in the 200m however, both reaching the final and Mboma finishing second thanks to a string home straight.

"This is my first Olympics, I came here for experience but I did better [than I expected]," Mboma said.

"I am really happy with my performance, I am proud of myself."

Asked about overtaking Fraser-Pryce, she replied: "I just saw some athletes and pushed past them - I don't know who they were."

Wlodarczyk achieved her third hammer gold thanks to a fourth-round best of 78.48 metres, with silver going to Wang Zheng of China, who managed 77.03m, and Poland's Malwina Kopron taking bronze on 74.59m.