Anning became the first British woman to win an individual world indoor sprint title after overcoming America's Alexis Holmes and Norway's Henriette Jaeger to win a breathless 400m final.
The national record holder and two-time Olympic bronze medallist crossed the line in 50.60 seconds after jostling past Holmes on the final lap.
Holmes took silver, stumbling over the line in 50.63, with Jaeger clocking 50.92.
Anning led the pack following a blistering 200m, but after ceding to Holmes at the bell the pair went neck-and-neck before the 24-year-old surged down the home straight to take a historic gold.
"It feels amazing. It was a very close race, probably not quite what I had imagined and pictured in terms of my execution, but I was just so grateful that I was able to come away and get the win and I fought to the end," she said.
It was sweet redemption for Anning who was disqualified from the same event in the European championships earlier this month due to a lane infringement.
"I came here wanting the win after the disappointment of the Europeans. I came here wanting the win. I wanted the gold and I'm grateful that I was able to get the job done and bring a medal back to the home city!
"It was such a smooth race, but I knew with the calibre of girls in this race it was going to be close especially to get that break. But I stayed strong I had faith in myself and I got to the end and I fought for that line."
Amy Hunt was left visibly stunned after qualifying for her maiden senior world individual final in the 60m, where she finished fifth.
Switzerland's Mujinga Kambundji won gold in a time of 7.04 seconds to reclaim her world title she last won in Belgrade in 2022, with Italy's Zaynab Dosso two-hundredths of a second behind after pipping Patrizia van der Weken on a photofinish to complete the podium.
"I can't believe that I'm fifth in the world in an event that nobody thinks I can do apart from me and my coach!" Hunt said.
"I was smiling at the start line, I was stood next to the world champion and I nearly had them! A few inches off, a couple more metres, I would have got them. I needed one more round. Give me another round in an hour's time!
"It's so special to know that we came fifth in my least favourite event so when we go to outdoors that's where the real show begins."
In the men's 400m final Chris Bailey led a historic US podium clean sweep by holding off the challenge of teammates Brian Faust and Jacory Patterson to win his maiden world title in a time of 45.08 seconds.
"It feels great. My first individual world indoor title. It's an amazing feeling. It shows that the hard work we put in is paying off," the Olympic relay gold medallist said.
"It's nice to be able to add this title to my resume, but a lot more to build on. The ultimate goal for this season is to make the outdoor championships team for Tokyo."
Elsewhere there was further success for the US team with Grant Holloway winning an unprecedented third successive world indoor title in the 60m hurdles.
The 27-year-old - unbeaten across 11 indoor seasons after first tasting victory in March 2014 - clocked 7.42 seconds to win gold ahead of France's Wilhem Belocian (7.54) and China's Liu Junxi (7.55) who took bronze.
Magnificent seven for Duplantis
On a night when modern-day track and field greats starred, Sweden's Mondo Duplantis vaulted six meters for the 100th time in a glittering career on his way to winning his third consecutive indoor world title - his seventh global crown - with a leap of 6.15m.
The double Olympic and two-time outdoor world champion was put under considerable pressure from Greece's Emmanouil Karalis who claimed silver with a national record 6.05m.
American Sam Kendricks, who won silver behind Duplantis at Paris 2024, won bronze with 5.90m.
Karalis is one of only three athletes who have cleared six meters this year and recorded the highest second-placed finish in the event.
Both Karalis and Duplantis felled their first attempt at 6.10m but the Swede soon took control of the final narrowly clearing the height with his second attempt before vaulting 6.15m unmatched for gold.
There was no attempt at a 12th world record for the Swedish star as he immediately took off his spikes and bowed to the crowd.
"We put on a good show for everybody," said Duplantis. "It's great to be pushed and I'm happy for Manolo (Karalis). I had to grind for it tonight.
"Over 100 jumps over six meters, it's great, it's a magical barrier that I want to clear in my career, and to be able to do it so many times, it's hard to comprehend, really.
"It's good for me especially and it's just great competition. It's just such a higher level than what pole vault's ever been, so it's good. You just have to want it."
Ingebrigtsen keeps double dream alive
Norwegian star Jakob Ingebrigtsen kept Ethiopia's Berihu Aregawi at bay on the final lap of an enthralling 3000m final to incredibly win his first international indoor title in 7 minutes 46.09 seconds.
Ingebrigtsen is on course to be the first man since Ethiopia's Haile Gebrselassie in 1999 to win the middle distance double having qualified for Sunday's 1500m final, his favoured event.
Aregawi, who won the 10,000m silver at Paris 2024, claimed silver in 7:46.25 with Australia's Ky Robinson taking bronze (7:47.09).
Surprisingly Ingebrigtsen opted to take the first corner at the back of the 14-man field, but gradually moved through the gears to take the lead with 11 laps remaining.
After setting his pace and letting Ethiopia's Biniam Mehary and Getnet Wale through, he soon found himself boxed in.
Fighting off competition from Ireland's Andrew Coscoran and Kenya's Cornelius Kemboi, Ingebrigtsen set-up a final lap showdown with Aregawi before putting on the afterburners with 200m to go.
"I tried to be a little bit reserved, I would've probably wanted to go out to the front a little earlier. I felt like at that point it's all about routines and having a smooth feeling," he said.
"I probably would've liked the pace to be a little bit faster, but I decided to stay there and see what happens.
"I feel strong in the end, and generally I have a better finish than my competitors. It was a little bit of a fight, but I was confident that I can make a move in the last 100m and win, and ultimately that was the main goal."
In the women's final Ethiopia's Freweyni Hailu won her first international gold, crossing the line in 8:37.21 ahead of America’s Shelby Houlihan (8:38.26) - who returned to action just two months after returning from a four-year doping ban - and Jessica Hull of Australia (8:38.28).
Hailu later told reporters she could have clocked a faster time but stayed at the back of the field due an illness she picked up before coming to China.
"I was sick at home before coming to Nanjing, so I stayed at the back to conserve myself before making my push," she said.