Although he lived in Swindon for most of his life, Brian Jenkins was born in Bridgend and represented both Wales and Great Britain at the international level. He started swimming at the age of nine, to help strengthen his legs after undergoing corrective surgery to repair fallen arches on both feet. His career began at the Milton Road baths, and at the age of 14 he represented Swindon, and then the county schools, before becoming an All-England Schools champion at 15. In 1962, when still only 18, Jenkins won a silver medal in the 200 metres butterfly at the European Championships at Leipzig, behind the Soviet swimmer Valentin Kuzmin. Jenkins won his first National title that same year (220 yards butterfly), and before the year was out, had represented Wales at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, competing in the two butterfly events and the 440 yards individual medley, his fourth place in the 220 yard butterfly being his best finish. The highlight of his career was in competing at the Tokyo Olympics, shortly after which he retired from competitive swimming to concentrate on his plumbing career, as he felt there was no future in swimming. He maintained contact with the sport and assisted coaches at the Milton Road baths. Jenkins changed of direction in the mid-1980s when he took up bodybuilding and, at the age of 52, was the British champion in the over-45s category.
Great Britain