Gjert Ingebrigtsen denies accusations of violence and manipulative behaviour toward his children

Jakob Ingebrigtsen told a court in Sandnes, Norway, this week that his father Gjert manipulated him and even violently struck him multiple times during his childhood, leaving him emotionally scarred.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen is on trial accused of physically and mentally abusing Jakob and also Jakob's younger sister Ingrid. The 59-year-old denies the charges.

During four hours of testimony, Jakob told the court: "My upbringing was very much characterised by fear. Everything was controlled and decided for me. There was an enormous amount of manipulation. As a teenager I felt I had no free will or say in anything."

The athlete described several incidents of being punched and kicked by his father, too. On one occasion it came after he received a negative report about his behaviour from school when he was aged eight. He was also hit in the face once after being late for a race and kicked in the stomach after falling off a scooter.

Jakob, who won world indoor 1500m and 3000m titles in Nanjing last weekend, together with his older brothers Filip and Henrik made public claims in October 2023 that their father, who was their coach until 2022, had been violent.

Jakob told the court that he and his brothers finally decided to act in 2022, when Ingrid was hit in the face with a wet towel because she did not want to go for a run. It was at that point they split from their father and coach and told their story to the Norwegian newspaper VG.

“She is a young, small girl who is in a physical confrontation with a grown, large man,” Jakob said. “I have been in that myself, but I am not her and can only imagine how traumatic that and those experiences have been for her. It was about her wanting to stop running and training. She wasn’t allowed to do that.”

Gjert is due to give evidence to the court next week. Speaking after this week's hearing, his lawyer, John Christian Elden, told the Norwegian broadcaster NRK that Gjert had a "different perception of reality".

The trial is due to last until May 16 and Gjert could face up to six years in prison if convicted.

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