2 x World Champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen is a well-known Norwegian middle and long-distance runner. The Olympic gold medalist, with 2 x World Championships silver medals and 3 x Diamond League Finals wins, is no stranger to excellence. He has a world men’s overall ranking of #3. Two of his older brothers, Henrik Ingebrigtsen and Filip Ingebrigtsen are also middle-distance runners who compete internationally. All of them are excellent at Track and Field.

But such excellence does not come easy. It requires a rigorous training schedule and hardcore discipline. There is a need to push yourself to the limit, to be able to get the most out of your body when needed. Jakob has been training with his elder brothers since his younger years, and this keeps him pushing himself to do better. Observing the success of his brothers, he wanted to be even better than them and become the fastest runner. All three brothers were trained by their father Gjert Ingebrigtsen, up until 2022, before the child abuse allegations.

Who is Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s coach?

Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s father and former coach, Gjert Ingebrigtsen, has been charged with abusing one of his children. Gjert was previously named Norwegian sports coach of the year in 2018. Jakob and his brothers were coached by Gjert since their younger days. But with these allegations, there are new troubles in one of Norway’s most prominent sporting families.

Jakob and his brothers had previously accused their father of using physical violence, coupled with threats, as part of their upbringing. They accused him of “aggression, control, and physical violence,” also adding that he “took the joy out of the sport they once loved.” Police launched an investigation into this and charged Gjert with physically and emotionally abusing one of the younger children. The abuse took place over four years and included threats, coercion, and physical violence, such as hitting his child with a wet towel.

Gjert’s lawyer refuted the claims, but the brothers published an op-ed in a Norwegian newspaper saying their father had been very aggressive and controlling throughout their growing years. They added that “the same aggression and physical punishment struck again,” two years ago toward someone else, and that was “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”  Meanwhile, Gjert is now coaching another Norwegian runner, ever since his sons broke ties with him.

Where does Jakob come from, and his world records

Jakob was born on September 19, 2000, in Sandnes, a city in Rogaland county, Norway. Known for its athletic culture, Sandnes played a significant role in Jakob’s development as an elite athlete. Following in the footsteps of his older brothers, he began running competitively at a young age. With his talent and dedication, he quickly rose to prominence in middle- and long-distance running. His competitive and passionate mindset has led him to set numerous world records.

During the Indoor 1500-meter competition, Jakob set a world record of 3:30.60 at the Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais in Liévin on February 17, 2022. Then, in the 2000 meters, he set another world record of 4:43.13 at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on September 29, 2023, surpassing Hicham El Guerrouj’s previous record of 4:44.79. On June 9, 2023, Jakob broke Daniel Komen’s 1997 record of 7:58.61 in the Two-mile Distance at the Diamond League Paris meet, setting a world best time of 7:54.10. According to Jakob, the difference between getting a world record or not often lies in the smallest details. “I am definitely starting to reach a point in my career where I need to work on all the small things…I am at such a high level that minor changes for the better, can mean big improvements.” he shared with Coros.com.