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Ingebrigtsen siblings' track success driven by father's tough love

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AFP Doha
Last Updated : Sep 29 2019 | 9:30 AM IST

Gjert Ingebrigtsen admits he is a dictator but one who produces results as three of his sons -- Jakob, Henrik and Filip -- will contest Monday's 5,000 metres final at the World Athletics Championships.

The youngest of the Norwegian family trio, 19-year-old Jakob -- who achieved a remarkable 1500m/5,000m double at the European Championships last year -- earned a reprieve to join them in the final after winning an appeal against disqualification following his heat in Doha on Friday.

Their story is not unique in terms of three brothers succeeding in athletics -- the Borlee siblings (Dylan, Jonathan and Kevin), also coached by their father, won European gold last year in the Belgian 4x400m relay team.

But the Ingebritsens' story stands out given that their father had no athletics background whatsoever.

The 53-year-old Gjert's skills appeared to lie elsewhere as he acts as accountant for his wife Tone's hair salon business and his day job is working for a logistics company.

He revels in having been termed a dictator by Filip -- who was European 1500m champion in 2016 following in the footsteps of 28-year-old Henrik, who won the title in 2012 -- in a reality television series that Gjert agreed to despite the reservations of his sons.

In the TV series, Filip objected to his father forcing the 26-year-old to cancel a holiday wth his then girlfriend.

- 'You have to be a dictator' - ===============================
"You have to be a dictator. You have to take decisions in a short time and have to believe that what you are doing is the best for the boys."
"That's not how things work. You need to be focused over time. You need to have a different mentality. You can't be like the rest."
- 'To endure me' - ==================
Gjert told the BBC there was no special switch that was suddenly turned on -- they were just a normal Norwegian family enjoying outdoor pursuits and he is not "especially interested in sport."
"The boys come to me and say: 'I want to be a European champion.' "I say: 'I want to help you, I can help you, but you have to do everything that I tell you.'
"I stand out from other parents. I am very demanding and it is a kind of contract between me and the boys to help them be the best they can be -- but they have to endure me following them every day all year."

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First Published: Sep 29 2019 | 9:30 AM IST

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