An unexpected visitor captivated the crowd on Wednesday during the qualifying rounds of the women’s cross-country team sprint at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
A sizable dog dashed onto the track amidst the heats, running alongside the competitors as they crossed the finish line.
This occurrence did not interfere with the event, and onlookers cheered for the dog, which later made its way to the finish area, greeting skiers as they finished their runs.
DOG ON THE COURSE AT OLYMPIC SKIING. 🚨
The surprise entrant finishes strong at the cross country line! pic.twitter.com/o4mO28tXXW
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026
The canine was later identified as a Czechoslovakian wolfdog, according to various reports.
The dog, named “Nazghul” inspired by the “Lord of the Rings” films, had escaped during a walk with its local owner prior to entering the race course.
“I became famous because of a dog that crossed the finish line, and now everyone wants to interview me,” remarked Greece’s Konstantina Charalampidou.
“He was chasing the camera that moved up and down the finish line. He was adorable but not aggressive. I wanted to pet him, but I couldn’t find him afterward,” she added.
Event officials initially believed the incident was due to a breach of the venue’s strict no-pets policy for spectators.
Croatian skier Tena Hadzic shared her surprise at encountering the dog with NPR.
“I thought to myself, ‘Am I hallucinating?'” Hadzic remarked. “I wasn’t sure what to do, fearing he might attack or bite me.”
The dog’s owner, however, described Nazghul as a “stubborn, yet very sweet” creature.
“He was whimpering more than usual this morning because he saw us leaving — I think he just wanted to follow us,” the owner told NPR. “He always seeks out people.”
The Associated Press and PA contributed to this report.
