Gjert Ingebrigtsen, the father of Norwegian track and field star Jakob Ingebrigtsen, has denied accusations of physical violence towards his children, including allegations that he kicked Jakob and whipped his daughter, Ingrid, with a towel. The ongoing trial, which has captivated Norway, entered its second week with Gjert tearfully insisting that he had never physically harmed anyone and that he was fundamentally opposed to violence.
Throughout his testimony, Gjert acknowledged that, as a coach, he had sometimes been demanding and strict with his three sons, Jakob, Henrik, and Filip, whom he guided to major international successes. He also admitted to one moment of frustration in which he threw the family’s PlayStation out of a window during a heated argument. However, he categorically denied all allegations of violent behavior, including claims related to the January 2022 incident involving Ingrid.
Ingrid, now 18, had testified that her father struck her in the face with a wet towel after he forbade her from playing outside with friends. In his defense, Gjert argued that while he regretted the incident, the towel had only made brief contact with her finger. He described the moment, saying he was drying his neck with the towel when Ingrid became angry and confronted him. “I pulled the towel against her finger twice in quick succession,” he explained. “She then said, ‘What the hell are you doing, are you hitting me?’ to which I replied, ‘I didn’t hit you.’”
The court presented a photograph showing a red mark on Ingrid’s face, which Gjert suggested could have been caused by acne or a skin reaction, particularly given that his children had experienced similar conditions when upset. He further denied that the incident had caused any physical harm, stating that both he and his daughter were emotionally hurt by the exchange.
Gjert also reflected on the emotional toll the situation had taken on him, particularly regarding his strained relationship with Ingrid, who has not lived with her parents since the incident. “I miss her every day,” he said, describing her as the last thing on his mind before bed and the first thought upon waking.
The trial has also included other claims of physical aggression, including allegations that Gjert kicked Jakob off a scooter when Jakob was around eight or nine years old. Gjert vehemently denied these accusations, calling it “completely unthinkable” that he would have kicked his child. Similarly, he rejected claims that he had physically pushed Jakob in a violent manner after a dispute over an iPad.
Despite the accusations, Gjert painted a less favorable picture of Jakob during his testimony, claiming that his son had been privileged and had often spoken negatively about him, even calling him an “idiot” before winning his first Olympic gold in Tokyo. Gjert said that Jakob often told him he was “useless, ignorant, and hopeless” in the course of their interactions.
Gjert further emphasized his strong opposition to violence, recalling how he had discouraged his children from playing video games with violent content, such as Counter Strike and Grand Theft Auto. He claimed that he had made a concerted effort to raise his children without violence, stressing that violence was never a solution in his household.
The trial, which has drawn considerable attention in Norway, is set to continue until mid-May. Gjert faces a potential six-year prison sentence if convicted of the allegations against him.
