Gjert Ingebrigtsen Convicted of Assault Against Daughter, Given Suspended Sentence

Gjert Ingebrigtsen, the father of Norwegian track star Jakob Ingebrigtsen, was convicted on Monday of one count of assault against his daughter and was given a suspended prison sentence.

The court in Sandnes, Norway acquitted Gjert of other charges, including allegations of abusing Jakob, a multiple Olympic and world middle-distance champion.

In a trial that began in March and captured the attention of Norway, Gjert, 59, was accused of a years-long campaign of domestic abuse towards Jakob and his younger sister, Ingrid. Gjert denied the accusations brought against him.

The verdict was delivered in writing by Soer Rogaland District Court, and Gjert was found guilty of a single incident of minor assault against his daughter. He received a 15-day suspended sentence and was ordered to pay NOK 10,000 ($1,010 US) in compensation.

Defense attorneys John Christian Elden and Heidi Reisvang from Elden Law Firm stated that the court concluded that there was no evidence to suggest that Gjert Ingebrigtsen instilled a continuous fear in his children.

“There are no winners in this case,” Reisvang, who assisted counsel during the trial, told the AP. “He [Gjert] hopes to one day have contact and rebuild a relationship with his family.”

Gjert rose to prominence in Norway in 2016 after his involvement in the TV documentary series Team Ingebrigtsen, where he was seen coaching his three track-and-field sons, Jakob, Filip, and Henrik.

Following the end of the series in 2021, the trio parted ways with their father as their coach. In 2023, they co-wrote a column in the national newspaper, VG, accusing Gjert of physical violence and intimidation, leading to a police investigation and subsequent court proceedings.

Despite the split, Gjert continued coaching and now guides Jakob’s 1500-meter Norwegian rival, Narve Gilje Nordas.

24-year-old Jakob has seen great success on the track, winning Olympic gold in the 1,500 meters at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and the 5,000 meters at the Paris Games in 2024. He also claimed the world champion title in the 5,000 meters in 2022 and 2023.

In a statement on Instagram following the trial verdict, Jakob expressed his desire for his daughter, Filippa, to love and respect him for her upbringing, emphasizing that as his most important goal.