Cerutty coached Herb Elliott to a series of world record performances, culminating in an Olympic gold medal in the 1960 Rome Games.

In 1907, aged 12, he left school to help support the family but was considered unfit to serve in World War I.

In 1950, he retired from running after becoming the state marathon champion, setting Australian records for 30, 50 and 60 miles (48, 80 and 97 km),[2] having begun the coaching for which he is renowned.

[4] In 1946, Cerutty acquired 3/4 acres of land in Portsea with Dorothy Clara Barwell whom he had married in 1921, so that they could start a training camp there.

[18] Cerutty coached John Landy, Don Macmillan and Les Perry at Helsinki for the 1952 Olympic Games, but in 1953 announced that "All my enthusiasm for the amateur cause has had its day," and registered as a professional trainer with the Victorian Athletic League.

Elliott won two gold medals at the 1958 Empire Games, and set world records at Mile (3:54.5) and 1500 metres (3:36.0) during the year.

[20][11] Percy Cerutty along with coaches Forbes Carlile and Harry Gallagher provided the expertise for swimmers and athletes during Australia's "Golden Era" but they were disallowed official presence at Commonwealth and Olympic Games because of their "amateur" status.

[21] Elliott broke the 4 minute barrier on 17 separate occasions; an extraordinary feat for athletes during his time period.

Cerutty was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1972 Birthday Honours for services to sport and physical fitness,[23] and described as "Australia's most enigmatic, pioneering and controversial athletics coach".

[24][25][2] Posthumously Cerutty was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for his athletics coaching on 5 December 1989.

They divorced in 1955, then on 3 March 1958 he married divorcee Ellen Ann ('Nancy'), née Keene, late Armstrong, at the Unitarian manse, East Melbourne.