Behind every champion is a family. But sometimes, instead of lifting them up, they tear them down. That’s the reality 24-year-old track and field star Jakob Ingebrigtsen is facing. His father and former coach, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, has been charged with physical abuse. With some allegations spanning over a decade. Jakob alleges his father slapped him in 2008, kicked him in 2009, and abused him between 2015 and 2016.

In fact, Gjert even allegedly attacked Jakob for 30 minutes and threatened to k*** him, The Times reported. Authorities first charged Gjert in 2023 for abusing one of Jakob’s siblings. But later the charges also included Jakob and another sibling. In 2023, Jakob, Filip, and Henrik exposed the abuse in a newspaper column.

Gjert, however, has denied all allegations. With a 30-day trial scheduled, the case has become one of the biggest sports scandals in Norway. It is expected to draw global media attention. The tension within the family first became public in 2018 and continued into 2022. All this happened when Gjert stepped down as coach shortly after the track and field star’s 1500m Olympic gold in Tokyo.

At the time, speculation ran wild, but few knew the full extent of the fallout.

After winning the gold in the Paris Olympic 5000m, Jakob faces his most challenging battle in a trial against his own father. According to his interview with The Telegraph, he continues handling the competition pressures while facing his legal battle.

While he can’t discuss the trial, he did shed light on how he manages to stay focused despite everything playing out in the public eye. “It’s a very good question because I think I have learned to not have such a good view on everyone else,” he said. “I use my team and work together with them in some areas. But I am definitely not relying on anyone for confidence and self-belief.”

Jakob expressed that his most productive athletic outcomes have happened during times when his attention remained focused only on his sport. “I did a lot of my best races in Covid because there was no one around. I didn’t struggle with that at all.” His focus stayed completely clear in those situations.

His ability to disregard outside noise presents the strongest potential tool to navigate through current circumstances where worldwide attention surrounds both his upcoming legal proceedings and his athletic aspirations. What were the initial circumstances that sparked this supposed mistreatment?

Track and field legend Jakob Ingebrigtsen confronts family rift

Over a span of ten years during his school days, Jakob Ingebrigtsen exposed his father and former coach Gjert Ingebrigtsen to physical violence along with mental abuse. According to the Norwegian newspaper VG, state prosecutors charged Gjert with delivering physical punishment to children under his coaching via beating them.

He was also charged with punching Jakob along with kicking him and performing multiple head strikes, according to official documents. The document also states that a single attack continued from 15 minutes up to 30 minutes. The charges also include Gjert Ingebrigtsen calling Jakob a “thug” and a “t*rrorist.” All this while threatening to “shame him and knock him out of health.”

The lawyer for Gjert asserts that the authorities hurriedly launched their prosecution, though his client asserts every charge is untrue. The famous Norwegian sports dynasty known as the Ingebrigtsens rose to fame through their participation in a popular reality TV show. The show monitored Jakob alongside his brothers Henrik and Filip as they studied under their father.

Then, Gjert chose to step down as coach in 2022 but told the media he needed health rest. The athletes eventually approached Norwegian athletics officials to get assistance in staying away from their father during competitions because Gjert still coached various athletes, including 2023 world 1500m bronze medalist Narve Gilje Nordas.

“We grew up with a father who was aggressive and controlling, using violence and threats,” the brothers wrote in a 2023 newspaper column. “The fear he instilled in us as children still lingers.”. While multiple family members have supported Jakob’s claims, Gjert insists he never used violence. He has simply admitted that he was “too much of a coach” rather than a father.

Now, the track and field star is juggling it all. He is preparing for a trial that will put his family’s darkest moments aside. However, he is still pushing himself to be the best runner in the world.