Are we talking about the great Sir Peter Elliott from Great Britain ? I think he chose not to dip under 1.40 for the 800, because he was a patriot and a humble man. He felt bad enough already, having eclipsed his largely forgotten country-men Cram, Coe and Ovett. - and so didn't want to rub it in by breaking world records. In the same way he was gentleman and nearly always let others win.
I remember lining up for a kebab beside a motorway in Norwich, back in 1990. Just ahead of me in the queue, I could see a hulking athlete from behind, in singlet and shorts. This man had a flat-top hair-cut and I suddenly felt quite nervous, thinking this was perhaps an opportunity to meet the great Carl Lewis !! ...but after he'd got his order from the van, he turned around and I could see it was actually Peter Elliott. I must admit I felt betrayed by the hair-cut and am ashamed to say I put out my leg and tripped Sir Peter. His kebab dropped on to the motor-way and was run over by a truck. He knew it was me who tripped him and he decide to chase me, but fortunately I was able to out-run him.....