The 34-year-old ran a brilliant tactical race, finishing in 1m 56secs.

Morocco's Hasna Behnassi won silver and Slovenia's Jolanda Ceplak took bronze. Defending champion Maria Mutola of Mozambique came fourth.

Kelly won bronze in the event at the last Olympics. Her gold was Britain's seventh. She's also running in the 1,500m - her priority event.

Elsewhere, Britain's cyclists have taken silver in the 4,000m team pursuit.

Steve Cummings, Paul Manning, Rob Hayles and Bradley Wiggins were beaten by world champions Australia.

They finished three-and-a-half seconds behind their opponents in the race-off. Wiggins can add the silver medal to the gold he won in the individual pursuit.