After placing second in the 1956 IC4A and AAU 400 m, and no better than third at the 1956 NCAA and Olympic Trials, Charlie Jenkins was a surprise winner of the Olympic title. His winning time of 46.7 was the slowest since 1928, but he showed a truer indication of his abilities with a 45.5 relay leg which gave him a second gold medal. While at Villanova, Jenkins won the AAU in 1955 and the IC4A in 1955 and 1957. Indoors he won the AAU 600 y three times and he set a world record for the 500 y in 1956. After his competitive days ended, Jenkins went into coaching and in 1981 he succeeded the legendary Jumbo Elliott as head coach at his alma mater. Jenkins’s son, Chip Jenkins, later made the Olympic team in his father’s event, but with slightly less success.
Personal Bests: 200 – 21.3y (1955); 400 – 45.8y (1958).
United States