Debevic, now 60 years of age, shot a world record equalling score of 600 to win by one shot from Aleksi Leppa of Finland.

Timothy Sherry of the United States took bronze.

Debevic, considered possibly the finest rifle shot of the modern era, first competed at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and went on to appear in every subsequent Games until London 2012.

He became Olympic champion in the three position rifle at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

He won a further bronze in the three position at Beijing 2008 and also in prone at London 2012.

He has subsequently concentrated on the 300m prone event where he had previously won two World Championship gold medals in 2002 and 2018.

"Of course I am happy this is my World Championships gold medal and at the age of 60 to show to the world that shooting is a sport for everyone of all ages," Debevic said.

"Of course experience counts a lot.

"Maybe this was a decisive factor, the message is that shooting is a sport for every generation.

"We can compete with youngsters and older people if you are passionate enough with the spirit to fight to win you can do it." 

In the women’s competition, Karolina Romanczyk of Poland won her first World Championship gold with a score of 593, a margin of one point more than Silvia Guignard Schnyder of Switzerland.

Agathe Cecile Girard of France took bronze.

In the men’s team event Norway’s Simon Claussen, Kim Andre Lund and Odd Arne Brekne won gold with 1,789.

SIlver went to Poland’s Daniel Romanczyk, Tomas Bartnik and Maciej Kowalewicz who shot 1,778.

Gilles Dufaux Pascal Bachmann and Sandro Greuter of Switzerland scored 1,777 for bronze.

In the women’s competition, it was Switzerland who collected gold, with the combined scores of Silvia Guignard Schneider, Anja Senti and Michael Bertschi totalling 1,769.

Norway’s Jenny Vatne Katrine Lund and Jeanette Hegg Duestad shot 1,768 for silver.

Lisa Mueller, Anna Lena Guether and Veronique Muenster came away with bronze for Germany after their combined score of 1,756.