What nobody seems to point out is that Coe was ill with a chest infection at the time of the trials, something that UK Athletics doctors confirmed afterwards. He struggled to run 3:45 in a heat, despite running a 3:37 solo 1500m the previous week while in Switzerland doing Altitude training!
Why did he run in the trials if he was ill, you might ask?
Well, the selectors and the AAA, in their infinite wisdom, decided to change the policy for selection that year. Previously, it had been the first past the post in the trials, plus 2 chosen at the discretion of the selectors. In 1988, they decided that the first 2 in the trials would go, while only the last remaining place would be "selected". Coe, among others, had been openly critical of this policy in the months running up to the trials, citing that while it might make sense for some countries, it was far from ideal in the UK where there was less "in depth" talent, and would thus enable some athletes to get "lucky" in the Trials and deprive an established competitor (who may under perform or be injured 7 weeks prior to the Olympics) of a place on the team.
There were NO pre selected athletes in '88. Cram won the 800m at the trials, with McKean second, and after Coe not making the final due to illness (not because of poor form;...he hadn't been beaten by any other British athlete that season to this point in 5 races, and had beaten Ereng, who went on to win the Olympic title, twice at 800m) the way was left open for Elliot to win the 1500m trial and Crabb to come second.
The selectors then had to chose between Elliott & Coe for the discretionary last place over 800m and Cram and Coe for the last place over 1500m.
Coe was the reigning European Champion at 800m and was faster than Elliott that year (1988), while Elliott had won the silver at the previous year's world champs. Coe, on the other hand, had only run once in '87 in May, before a foot injury ruled him out for the rest of the season. The claim of some on here that Coe had several "bad" season at this time is just not true! He had simply been unable to run in 87 due to injury and then ruled out of the '88 Olympics.
In the end the selectors chose Cram for the 1500m spot, despite already having been beaten by other UK athletes that year (Sharpe and Morrell over 1000m) and coming way down the field in the '87 World final, on account of early season fast times.
Over 800m the selection committee chose Coe over Elliott (which wasn't common knowledge at the time), but their decision was then overruled by the full Board meeting of the AAA Council the next day by one vote!! There was a "botch up" over the allocation of votes and the final decision caused a lot of controversy in the press and media. Moreover, it is a strongly held belief that the AAA Council's decision was politically motivated. Firstly, he had criticised their selection policy vociferously and second, he had been the head of the Sports Council when a decision was made in 1986 that Athletics would get less funding for the Olympics, in order to give more money to less established sports like hockey, gymnastics, etc. It is believed that they wanted to take him down a peg or two!
Interestingly, 3 weeks later, having still not fully recovered from what developed into bronchitis, Coe ran 1:43.93, faster than any Britain was to run in Seoul and faster than Elliott managed to win all season. 3 days later he ran a 3:35 1500m. This was still a month before the Games, where Coe had always said he was peaking for. By this time Cram was injured, but still insisting he wanted to run both events in Seoul.
In Seoul, neither Cram nor Mckean even reached the semi finals in the 800m, and Crabb failed to make the final of the 1500m.
The next year, Coe's 33rd, he would record the fastest times by a Britain over both 800 and 1500m, run the second fastest 800m in the world (1:43.38) and come a very close second to Bile in the World Cup 1500m, despite being fouled by the African at the start of the home straight. He would also beat the best the UK had to offer in the AAA 1500m final, despite falling over with a lap to go and being 15m behind the leaders at the bell.
Coe had always doubled up successfully in his career (80, 84 and 86) and he was building up gradually to be at a peak in Seoul. The evidence is that it was more likely he would have been successful again than not!