Hoy - the 2007, 2008 and 2010 world champion and Olympic champion in Beijing in the event which begins behind a motorised Derny bike - was a comfortable winner of his heat and second-round contest to advance to the final.

The 36-year-old Scot appeared to be boxed in on the final bend, but accelerated as a gap opened up between Germany's Maximilian Levy and Simon van Velthooven of New Zealand before lunging for the line.

Hoy punched the air with delight, but an 11th World Championships gold medal of his distinguished career was confirmed only after a photo finish.

Levy was second and - after the officials relegated Van Velthooven from third place for an infringement - Kenny claimed bronze.

It was Britain's sixth gold of the five-day event at the Hisense Arena - five coming in the 10 events on August's Olympic track programme in an ominous warning to their Games rivals.

Breathtaking display

In receiving the congratulations of sprint coach Iain Dyer, Hoy said: "How did I do that?"

He added: "That's my one get out of jail card used up now.

"It was the last chance I had. I did it out of necessity because I'd really run out of options by the end.

"I'd made the error of waiting too long, which frustrates me when I do it.

"I hesitated too long, I waited. I was sure Jason was going to go with everything he had and he waited too.

"With half a lap to go I'd backed off. If I'd come in with momentum I'd have gone for a run on the outside and I would've had a chance - I'm not saying I would've got it - but that would've been a tall order.

"Having killed my run and stalled, I lost momentum, I couldn't do that.

"I knew that they were fanning out and the three of them (Levy, Van Velthooven and Kenny) were going to go three abreast on the last corner and there was a chance of a little flick here.

"And as soon as the flick came from the Kiwi (Van Velthooven) I went up the inside and the door opened.

"I was thinking 'I've got a chance of getting silver here' - I just kept driving.

"Levy seemed to tie up in the last few metres and I threw the bike and couldn't believe I'd won it."

Consolation prize

However, the 24-year-old from Bolton was denied a chance at gold after being relegated for leaving the sprinters' lane in the second contest of the best-of-three final, which Gregory Bauge of France won to take a third world title.

Kenny also felt the wrath of the officials on day one, as part of the British team sprint trio which suffered a relegation for a changeover offence.

"It's nice to get a decision to go my way for once," Kenny said.

"I'm really pleased with the bronze.

"Chris diving in on the inside saw the opportunity and just went for it. He came out of nowhere as far as I was concerned.

"One minute I was battling for the lead, the next minute there was another person in front of me. Fair play."

Matt Crampton was fourth in the minor final to place 10th overall.

Final flourish

Wendy Houvenaghel again had to settle for three-kilometre individual pursuit silver.

The 37-year-old from Northern Ireland qualified second fastest and was unable to overhaul New Zealand's Alison Shanks in the final.

Shanks took gold in three minutes 30.199 seconds, while Houvenaghel finished in 3mins 32.340secs. Ashlee Ankudinoff of Australia claimed bronze.

Houvenaghel was Olympic silver medallist behind Rebecca Romero in the event in 2008, before finishing second to Shanks at the 2009 World Championships and 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In the women's 500m time-trial, Jess Varnish claimed bronze as Australia's Anna Meares won her second gold medal in two days.

Meares triumphed in a world record of 33.010secs, with Germany's Miriam Welte (33.626) second and Varnish (33.999) third. Dani King (36.153) was 23rd.

In the competition's final event, Geraint Thomas and Ben Swift won silver in the non-Olympic Madison.

The British pair finished on 18 points, six adrift of gold medal winners Belgium, with Australia third on 11 points.