Just two days ago, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen crossed the finish line in Nanjing, China, flexing his arms after winning his first-ever world 1,500m indoor title. Now, the 24-year-old finds himself in a very different arena—testifying in a courtroom in his hometown of Sandnes, Norway, against his father, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, who stands accused of mentally and physically abusing Jakob and his six siblings.
Au procès Ingebrigtsen, Jakob témoigne contre son père et entraîneur.
La superstar de l’athlétisme a dépeint un père autoritaire et manipulateur, ce mardi.
Gjert Ingebrigtsen est accusé de violences intrafamiliales sur son fils et sa fille.— Le Parisien (@le_Parisien) March 25, 2025
According to Norway’s TV2, Jakob described his upbringing as one dominated by fear and control. “Everything was controlled and decided for me,” Jakob testified. “There was an enormous amount of manipulation. As a teenager, I felt I had no free will or say in anything.”
Jakob recounted memories of abuse, dating back to when he was just eight years old. He alleged that his father once hit him in the face for being late to a race. In another incident in 2009, Jakob claimed his father kicked him in the stomach after he fell off a scooter. He also described between 10 and 20 occasions when his father beat him after receiving negative school reports.
The Olympic champion painted a picture of a childhood that was far from normal. Jakob said his father prohibited him from staying out late or attending parties, forcing him to train two or three times a day.
Jakob also recalled an incident at the 2016 Norwegian junior championships, where his father reportedly threatened him. Around the same time, he said his father threw his video-game console out of a window in a fit of anger.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist also criticized the portrayal of his family in the popular TV series Team Ingebrigtsen (2016–2021), which followed the lives of the Ingebrigtsen family. Jakob said the show was a misrepresentation of their reality. “The defendant was allowed to tell his story, not his family’s story. We felt unsafe in the product that was made because it completely misrepresented our family. But we weren’t interested in filming or making TV out of the other things that happened.”
Gjert, who stepped down as his sons’ coach in 2022, has denied the abuse allegations. Through his lawyer, Gjert previously described the claims as “baseless” and insisted he “never used violence against his children.”
Last April, Gjert was charged with one count of physical abuse. Five additional charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence, and one other charge was dismissed because of time constraints.
The trial, which is expected to last six weeks, continues to unfold. After Tuesday’s hearing, Gjert’s lawyer, John Christian Elden, told NRK that his client has a “different perception of reality.” Jakob is expected to return to the stand on Wednesday morning to face questions from the defense.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, there are support and crisis lines you can reach out to in your province. Visit Ending Violence Canada for more information.
