Ingeborg and Sofia Head to the European TeamGym Championships as "I care. Ambassadors"

Newly appointed NextGen Neighbor Network I care. Ambassadors, Ingeborg Krogstad Hystad (17) and Sofia Andersen Karlsen (17) of Gneist Turn have both been selected to represent Norway at the European TeamGym Championships, taking place from 14–17 October 2026 at Espoo Metro Arena in Espoo, Finland.

Their places on the national team are the result of years of training, perseverance, hardwork,  and steady development. Yet when Ingeborg and Sofia talk about the journey, they first and foremost share with the utmost gratitude about the people around them. This includes the Gneist coaches who believed in them, teammates who encouraged them, and the sense of belonging they have found through gymnastics. 

Ingeborg in particular also points to her brother, who has encouraged her to challenge herself and try new tricks since she was little. She knows first-hand how much difference it can make to have someone who believes in you, particularly when you are not yet sure you believe in yourself.

Today, both girls are passing that encouragement and gratitude forward as coaches at Gneist. They are helping younger gymnasts experience the same encouragement, security and sense of community that have meant so much to them. Their journey illustrates how Gnesit’s ecosystem of social responsibility and role models can come full circle offering the same support back into the community.

Those values rooted in social responsibility, inclusion, and care are also at the heart of a new sponsorship from Meteva Sport og Helse, which will fully fund Ingeborg and Sofia’s national-team programme and training. As part of the sponsorship, they will become “I care. Ambassadors” for the NextGen Neighbor Network (NNN) connected to NNN’s Miljøplakaten Gneist Arena and their active social responsibility work. The sponsorship recognizes what Ingeborg and Sofia have achieved as athletes, and their ongoing part as role models within their own club and beyond.

“Ingeborg and Sofia are wonderful ambassadors for both NNN and Gneist, and we know they will bring their care for others, team spirit, and respect into the national-team environment. They work purposefully on their own development while also seeing and lifting up the people around them. We are proud of what they achieve as athletes, and every bit as proud of the way they treat others,” says Miriam Danielsen, Gneist Representative and  Project Coordinator for NNN.

Two Different Paths, One Strong Sense of Belonging

For Ingeborg, the story began at Gneist when she was just seven years old. Ten years later, gymnastics has become a major part of her life. The gym has always represented far more than training alone.

“I have always felt at home at Gneist, and I have met my very best friends in the gym. That is something I value very highly and am incredibly grateful for,” she says.

She is equally clear that the coaches and teammates who supported her and made her feel like she belonged have played an important part in helping her reach where she is today.

Sofia’s path to Gneist was different. She began gymnastics in Åsane when she was around eight years old before joining Gneist towards the end of 2023. She still remembers arriving as the new person on the team, and how quickly the unfamiliar began to feel like home.

“I was welcomed straight away and immediately felt part of the group, which has meant a great deal to me. I would never have come this far without all the coaches and my friends on the team,” Sofia says.

While Ingeborg has grown up within the club, Sofia knows first-hand how much a warm welcome can matter. Their experiences are different, but they both speak on the positive Gneist gymnastic culture where the team looks out for one another, where support crosses age groups and ability levels, and where coaches give athletes the confidence to keep learning and trying.

Going Beyond Their Own Community

Gymnastics has also given both girls a sense of community that extends well beyond Gneist. Meeting and training alongside gymnasts from across Norway has become one of the most rewarding aspects of their national-team experience.

For Ingeborg, the national-team training camps offer the chance to learn, build new friendships and work towards a shared goal. She also knows what it feels like to compete on the international stage. In 2024, she represented Norway’s junior national team at the European Championships in Azerbaijan.

Alongside their own training and sporting ambitions, both work as coaches at Gneist Turn, helping younger gymnasts discover the enjoyment, sense of achievement and friendship that they themselves have found in the sport. For both of them, good coaching is about far more than developing skills. It is also about making sure children feel safe, seen and welcome from the moment they arrive at training.

Both Ingeborg and Sofia want younger gymnasts to understand that mistakes are a natural part of learning and that they should feel safe enough to try, even when something is difficult. Their shared philosophy is helping young girls feel noticed and included, which can make it easier for them to walk through the doors for the next training session. In time, it can be part of the reason someone chooses to stay in the sport.

An Entire Club Behind The

A heartfelt thank you goes to Mats Thomsen, Sunniva Kalve Lingjerde and Jonas Fotland Fænn for their dedication, guidance and support throughout the girls’ development. In both Ingeborg’s and Sofia’s stories, the influence of their coaches is clear. They have encouraged them through difficult periods, created opportunities for development and helped them believe in what they are capable of achieving. When Ingeborg and Sofia travel to Finland in October for the European Championships, they will be wearing the Norwegian colors proudly with a deep sense of gratitude for the community and role models who stood with them along the way.