A local dog unexpectedly joined athletes competing in a cross-country sprint at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, sprinting alongside skiers and crossing the finish line to cheers from spectators.
The dog, a two-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog named Nazgul, had escaped from a nearby bed-and-breakfast before wandering onto the course.
Clips of the surreal moment quickly spread across social media, with viewers dubbing the surprise entrant an unofficial Olympic legend.
The surprise guest finished 20th and seemed to cause minimal disturbance to Olympians competing in the event.
NPR reported 21-year-old Croatian skier Tena Hadzic thought she was "hallucinating" when she spotted the dog on the ski run. Hadzic admitted her initial reaction likely did cost her "some seconds."
She said, "It's not that big deal, because I'm not fighting for medals or anything big, but if that happened in the finals, it could really cost someone the medals, or a really good result."
Clips from Nazgul’s epic ski run on Feb. 18, 2026, circulated on social media, sparking reactions from dog lovers who are calling the unofficial four-legged competitor a legend.
In response to the pup’s sudden viral fame, the dog’s owner told the media that Nazgul "always looks for people" and that he is "stubborn, but very sweet."
The legend of Nazgul
@NBCOlympics shared footage of Nazgul running at the Olympic Games and wrote, “Nazgul started the day as just another Italian dog. He'll end it as a #WinterOlympics legend. 🙌”
@dog_rates reposted clips from the cross-country ski sprint on X and wrote, “14/10 someone get him a medal.”
Dog lovers celebrated the unexpected Olympian on social media
“Imagine watching the Olympics and seeing your dog cross the finish line,” commented @xBOYDx on X.
X user @KendraMiddleton wrote, “You might be cool, but you’ll never be as cool as the dog that ran away from home to make a cameo in the Olympics cool.”
u/diablol3 wrote on Reddit, “This is the case for most people in developed countries. No matter your accomplishments you'll get eclipsed by a cute dog being cute.”
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.
