Jakob Ingebrigtsen has become one of the most well-known athletes in Norway and all around the world, thanks to spectacular performances at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Gold Medal in 5000m), Tokyo 2020 (Gold in 1500m) and, last weekend, two golds in the Nanjing World Indoor Championships.
However, his private life has also been the topic of conversation in recent years, when Jakob, alongside his brothers and also athletes Filip and Henrik, denounced in October 2023 his father and former coach, Gjert, of aggression, control and physical violence toward Jakob and his sister Ingrid. That case shocked Norway, as the family Ingebrigtsen had been very famous for many years - a reality show, Team Ingebrigtsen, ran from 2016 to 2021, showing the life of Jakob and his brothers and father, and how they handled family and sporting life.
But in 2022, Gjert stopped being their trainer, and soon later it became clear why: Jakob and his brothers were tired of the abuses of their father, who had them in a constant state of fear, controlling every aspect about their lives, including personal relationships, and reaching physical violence.
The trial against Gjert started on Monday, and the father and coach, 59-year-old, declared himself not guilty of the charges -which could cost him six years in prison.
Testifying in court on Tuesday, Jakob said he couldn't remember a single good memory from his childhood, said that his father once kicked him in the stomach when he was eight, and tried to have him cut ties with his girlfriend, whom he eventually married in 2023 -Gjert was not invited-. "He had a lot of fear and insecurity in him, which turned into anger and aggression towards those around him", explained Jakob, via AFP.
On Wednesday, Jakob's sister Ingrid, 18, will testify. She had to live in a foster care, after enduring insults and hits in the face from her father.