Meet Nazgul: The Olympic dog who almost won a race

A surprising and adorable moment lit up the 2026 Winter Olympics on Wednesday when a local dog sprinted onto the course during the women’s team sprint cross‑country skiing qualification, delighting fans and nearly becoming an Olympic competitor itself.

Olympics dog crashes women’s cross‑country sprint and steals the show

During qualification at the Tesero Cross‑Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme, a husky‑like canine wandered onto the final straight as skiers approached the finish line, amusing onlookers and prompting cheers before officials gently corralled the enthusiastic interloper and escorted it off the snow. The playful intrusion caused no delays or injuries and left both competitors and spectators laughing.

Watch: Olympics dog steals the sprint

The dog, quickly dubbed something of a “bonus competitor” by commentators, even appeared in official timing systems as it crossed the line, resulting in an unexpected photofinish moment captured by Omega’s high‑precision timing cameras.

While no official result was affected, Sweden’s team of Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist led qualifying with a time of 6:29.94 and went on to win gold in the finals, with Switzerland and Germany taking silver and bronze, respectively.

The light‑hearted scene provided a memorable respite from intense competition. Announcers joked live on broadcast - “Anybody lost their dog?” - as the furry spectator briefly chased after competitors and explored the finish area.

According to some reports, the dog, later identified by local media as a friendly two‑year‑old named Nazgul, belongs to nearby residents and had simply slipped away during a morning walk before deciding to test its skiing legs on the Olympic course. Officials safely returned Nazgul to its owners, unharmed, after the sprint.

Athletes in the race appeared mostly amused by the four‑legged visitor. One competitor said she briefly wondered whether to dodge or engage as the dog approached on the home stretch, adding a humorous footnote to what was otherwise a routine qualifying round.

Fans flocked to social media to share clips and memes about the unexpected participant, with many joking that the dog should get its own Olympic record or at least a “gold medal in good boy.” The light‑hearted moment quickly became one of the feel‑good highlights of the Milano Cortina Games so far.

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