The 2026 Winter Olympics witnessed its most unexpected participant on Wednesday as a local dog named Nazgul wandered onto the cross-country ski course, racing alongside elite athletes during the women’s team sprint qualification. The two-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog became an overnight viral sensation after official finish-line cameras captured him sprinting toward the tape at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium. Eileen Gu, 22, Becomes 'Most Decorated Female Freestyler' with Big Air Silver at 2026 Winter Olympics.

Dog at Olympics 2026

A Surprise Sprint to the Line

The incident occurred during the heats of the women's team cross-country free sprint in Val di Fiemme. As competitors, including Croatia’s Tena Hadzic, entered the final straight, Nazgul breached security and joined the race. The dog appeared to be in high spirits, chasing the broadcast camera that moves along the finish line and running parallel to the skiers.

Hadzic, 21, admitted the encounter was startling. "I was like, 'Am I hallucinating?'" she told reporters after the race. "At first, I thought it was a wolf because of the size. I didn't know if he would bite me, but he just wanted to run." While the intrusion cost Hadzic a few seconds, it did not significantly impact the final qualification standings, as the top contenders had already finished their runs.

'Nazgul' Behind the Chaos

Following his photo finish, Nazgul was gently corralled by race officials and stadium volunteers. It was later revealed that the dog had escaped from a nearby bed-and-breakfast. His owners, who are related to a local event official, explained that Nazgul likely felt left out when they departed to watch a biathlon race at another venue earlier that morning.

"He was crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving – and I think he just wanted to follow us," his owner told media outlets. "He always looks for people." The breed, a Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, is known for its endurance and wolf-like appearance, making Nazgul perfectly suited for the snowy Olympic terrain. Penisgate to Broken Medals: The Growing List of 2026 Winter Olympics Scandals (Watch Videos).

Official Recognition and Social Media Stardom

Even the official Olympic timekeepers were charmed by the interloper. Omega, the company responsible for the Games' high-precision timing, released a formal photo-finish image of Nazgul crossing the line. The image, captured by a camera capable of 40,000 frames per second, showed the dog in majestic form as he triggered the sensors.

While Nazgul was not eligible for a medal, he has been dubbed the unofficial mascot of the Milano Cortina Games by fans online. Sweden’s Jonna Sundling, who eventually won gold in the event, found the incident amusing, noting that it seemed the dog even wanted to follow the athletes into the media mixed zone after the race.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2026 01:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).