The sister of the double Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen testified in court that she was struck in the face by their father as a child for forgetting her heart-rate monitor.
The incident reportedly occurred in 2018 or 2019 when Ingrid, now 18, was driving to training with her father, Gjert. Upon informing him of her mistake, she recounted that he began yelling, calling her “incompetent” and “stupid.” She told the court that she told him to stop, saying “Shut up,” but in response, he hit her in the face. She described the strike as “fast and hard” and said it was painful.
The court heard that this was one of seven alleged instances of physical and verbal abuse that Ingrid endured. Gjert rose to prominence after coaching three of his sons to success at the Olympic, world, and European levels, with their journey documented in a popular television series. However, court proceedings have brought forth allegations of abuse that were never captured on camera. Gjert, who faces up to six years in prison if convicted of abusive behavior towards Jakob and Ingrid, denies all allegations of violence.
In another alleged incident, Ingrid recounted how her father yelled at her so intensely in the car that she broke down in tears. She said the situation arose when she could not change the radio or check the weather forecast. During the confrontation, he asked her if she was afraid of him. She recalled feeling unsure of how to answer, worrying about the consequences of either response. When she eventually answered “yes,” she testified that her father found her response ridiculous and refused to drive home until she promised not to tell anyone, especially their mother.
According to the indictment, Gjert allegedly subjected his daughter to threats, coercion, violence, and restrictions on her freedom. The court was informed that he had called her an “idiot” when she was sick and, on another occasion, pushed her with both hands, causing her to fall to the floor after an argument.
During cross-examination, Jakob told the court that the television series about their family did not accurately reflect reality. He stated that the presence of cameras altered how their home life was portrayed, presenting a more “humorous and cozy” atmosphere than what truly occurred.
Jakob also testified about the alleged abuse he suffered, stating that he had been kicked and punched by his father from the age of eight or nine. However, he admitted that he had not witnessed physical abuse against his older brothers, Henrik and Filip. When he moved out at 18 to live with his now-wife, Elisabeth, he stayed only 300 meters from his father’s home, saying that was as far as he dared to go due to his father’s influence over his life, including financial and training matters.
He told the court that he ended his professional relationship with his father as a coach in early 2022 after an incident where Gjert struck Ingrid in the face with a wet towel. Later that year, after Jakob won a silver medal in the 1500m at the World Athletics Championships, his father allegedly sent him a message expressing satisfaction over his failure.
The trial is set to continue until 16 May.
