On August 6 1958 he set the world record of 3 minutes 54.5 seconds for the mile and broke the 1500 metres world record the same year.
At the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales, he won gold in the 880 yards and the mile. At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Elliott won the gold medal in the 1500 metres.
He only ever lost one race over 1500 metres or the mile and during his career he broke the four-minute mile on 17 occasions.
Elliott retired from athletics in May, 1961.