Next week, Jakob Ingebrigtsen will defend his EC gold medals in the 1500 and 5000 meters. Gjert Ingebrigtsen’s father will also be in Munich, but his son is clear that they will have no contact.

Aftenposten collaborates with VG-sporten. Therefore, as an Aftenposten reader, you also get the articles and services created by VG.

Although he did not gain accreditation for WC earlier this summer, Gjert Ingebrigtsen – father and former coach of Jakob Ingebrigtsen and current coach Narve Gilje Nordås – has received trainer accreditation for EC in Munichwhich starts on Monday.

On Saturday, Jakob Ingebrigtsen attended a press conference with the Norwegian press. Previously he had stated for Stavanger Aftenblad that he was “not thinking” about his father’s presence in Munich and that it would not affect him much.

When asked by Daily newspaper if he wanted to have a dialogue with his father during the championship, he bluntly replied:

– Not.

In WC, Henrik Ingebrigtsen plays the “ordinary guy” for his brother.

– Do you think any of your brothers will compete with Gjert towards the race?

– I’m not there to have a dialogue with anyone. This applies to everyone and also to some. I’m there to run the race. The only dialogue I have is with myself, Ingebrigtsen told VG.

– Basically, I’m there to do work. If I’m going to be really cool about it, then there’s a part of me that’s completely focused on doing the best I can in the way that I can. Those who were in the stands and who came down to cheer, that would of course be number two. “It’s fun, but I can’t be influenced by the people in the stands and the people who support me,” Ingebrigtsen told a news conference.

Gjert Ingebrigtsen himself stated the following to Stavanger Aftenblad about being in Munich at the same time his son would be in action:

– For me, I have a relatively professional relationship with racing and championships. But for the first time I was there without following myself. A championship is a championship. We have to accept it as it is and make the most of it, he added Aftenbladet.

Ingebrigtsen, who won the 1,500 and 5,000 meters in EC when it was last held (in 2018), will run the 1,500 meters on Monday night (20:15). Then the 5,000 meters final awaits on Tuesday night (21:08). Ingebrigtsen will run there together with Gjert Ingebrigtsen’s student Narve Gilje Nordås.

1500 meters final on Thursday night (21:05).