Perry following her victory (Getty Images).

On an outstanding Thursday evening for the United States squad, gold medals were won by Michelle Perry in the 100 metres hurdles and triple jumper Walter Davis to go with Justin Gatlin's victory in the 200m.

Perry, an Olympic heptathlon competitor last year, could not believe how quickly she has successfully made the transition from the multi-events back to hurdling.

The world's top ranked performer this year won a thriller by just one-hundredth-of-a-second ahead of the Jamaican pair of Delloreen Ennis-London and Brigitte Foster-Hylton in 12.66sec.

"This is like a dream come true," said the 26-year-old US champion, who fought for balance into a two-metres-per-second headwind.

"I was able to run without hitting any of the hurdles," added Perry, not realising Olympic champion Joanna Hayes was very much in contention at the last one - but hit it and fell.

Davis produced his winning leap - a season's best of 17.57m - in the third round to clinch a solid victory ahead of pre-event favourites Yoandri Betanzos and Marian Oprea.

The 26-year-old 2003 World indoor silver-medallist said: "After my big jump I started looking at my watch, because I was telling myself this is my year, this is my time to win."

Rens Blom was an unexpected winner of a very low key pole vault, but the Dutchman did not let that stop his post-event victory celebrations after clearing 5.80m at his first attempt.

Blom whose Dutch record stands at only 5.81m, admitted: "When I woke up this morning and saw what the weather was like, I thought I had a good chance of doing well.

"Many of the top guys have problems with difficult conditions. This was really my day."

Franka Dietzsch regained the discus title she won six years ago - a season's best of 66.56m clinching her another gold medal.