Olympic and world champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen testifies against father in abuse trial

OSLO – Two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen described a childhood marked by fear and manipulation, when he took the witness stand on March 25 to testify against his father and former coach.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen has pleaded not guilty to charges of physically abusing two of his children, including the track athlete, from 2008 to 2022.

The 59-year-old faces up to six years in prison, with the trial due to run until May 16 in Sandnes, Norway.

“My upbringing was closely tied to fear. I’ve been aware of a fear-based culture for a long time,” said Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who won gold in the 1,500 metres at the Tokyo Games and 5,000m in Paris.

“As a teenager, it was a concept I really identified with, because I felt I had no free will or say in anything.

“I was in an environment where everything was controlled and decided for me. There was an enormous amount of manipulation,” he was quoted as telling the court by Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

During the first day of the trial on March 25, Gjert pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is due to testify next week.

Jakob, 24, told the court about several incidents of violence.

Prosecutors allege Gjert struck Jakob several times after he received a negative report about his behaviour from school when he was eight.

“I remember being extremely scared. Now I’ve done something seriously wrong. I’m terrified of what’s going to happen,” Jakob told the court about the lead-up to the incident.

He also told the court that when at 16 he met Elisabeth Asserson, who is now his wife, his father tried to stop them from seeing each other, fearing having any relationship would harm his son’s sporting career.

“I found it extremely difficult that someone like my own father could speak that way about Elisabeth, someone I cared about,” he told the court.

He also explained in particular how, as a schoolboy, he could not go to parties with other children.

He also related how, as a teenager, he was made to train two or three times a day.

Jakob also alleged several incidents of abuse, according to Norwegian media, including slapping him twice in 2008 and kicking him in the stomach after he fell off a scooter in 2009.

He had returned to Norway the previous day from the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, where he won two gold medals.

Gjert, who has also been accused of physical and psychological violence against his 18-year-old daughter Ingrid, announced in 2022 that he was stepping down as coach – not long after Jakob won 1,500m gold at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, prompting widespread speculation over their rift.

Jakob and two of his brothers, Henrik and Filip, who are also athletes, shocked Norway in October 2023 when they accused their father of using “physical violence” and “threats” as part of their upbringing.

The brothers’ allegations in an article published in the Norwegian daily VG made headlines at home and abroad.

That prompted Norwegian police to open an investigation covering all seven Ingebrigtsen siblings.

Police dropped some of the accusations due to lack of evidence or the statute of limitations, but the prosecution retained several charges that involved Jakob and Ingrid.

Jakob is the most successful of the three brothers, winning the world championships’ 5,000m in 2022 and 2023, and claiming the 1,500m and 3,000m titles in Nanjing last weekend to clinch a rare world indoor double.

The Ingebrigtsen family became a household name in 2016 when the TV show “Team Ingebrigtsen” aired for five seasons on the national broadcaster NRK.

The programme showcased the large family as they trained and balanced their ambitions with daily life. AFP, REUTERS