Women’s cross-country skiing team sprint qualifier
Large Czech Wolfhound bounds onto the course
Sprints after Croatian skier and crosses the finish line
Official timekeeper Omega captures the moment in a photo-finish image
Past marathon and fo
An unexpected surprise runner stole the spotlight during the women's cross-country skiing event at the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026 Winter Olympics.
On February 18, Yonhap News Agency reported that, during the women's team sprint qualifying race at the Tesero Cross-Country Ski Stadium in Italy, a large Czech Wolfdog suddenly dashed onto the snowy course.
The dog ran for a while behind Tena Hadzic of Croatia, who finished 19th that day. According to the Associated Press and Yonhap News Agency, the dog began running alongside the athletes just before the finish line, paused briefly as if to sniff, and then overtook the competitors and crossed the finish line.
The dog ran for a while behind Tena Hadzic of Croatia, who finished 19th that day. According to the Associated Press and other foreign media, the dog began running alongside the athletes just before the finish line, paused briefly as if to sniff, and then overtook the competitors and crossed the finish line. In the stands, laughter and cheers erupted at the unexpected sight, and some spectators stood up and applauded. Omega, the official Olympic timekeeper, captured the moment the dog crossed the finish line in a photo-finish image, creating yet another iconic Olympic scene.
In an interview with U.S. public radio network NPR, the dog's owner said, "The dog's name is Nazgul, named after the evil spirits in the film The Lord of the Rings." He added, "Nazgul is two years old, very stubborn but incredibly lovable. When he saw me heading to the stadium, he cried much more than usual, so I decided to bring him along. He loves people and is very friendly."
The dog started running after the runners just before the finish line, paused as if to sniff something, and eventually overtook the runners and crossed the finish line. In the stands, laughter and cheers erupted at the unexpected sight, and some spectators stood up and applauded. Screenshot from social media
Meanwhile, in the final held that day, the Swedish national team claimed the top spot. Star skier Jonna Sundling delivered an explosive sprint on the last leg to secure the victory for her team. Sweden crossed the finish line in just over 15 minutes, beating Finland in second place and Norway in third. After the race, Sundling said with a smile, "It was a really fun moment. I couldn't help laughing because it seemed like the dog wanted to follow us all the way into the mixed zone." Sweden had been considered a strong favorite in the women's sprint relay at this Games, and once again proved both its stable race management from the heats and its powerful finishing kick.
There have been several previous cases of animals invading sports events. At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil, a dog cutting across the marathon course drew attention, and in European football league matches, pet dogs and cats have occasionally run onto the pitch, causing brief interruptions. Most such incidents have ended without major trouble, but they have also prompted calls for stricter access control and safety management to protect athletes and ensure smooth competition operations. This latest episode wrapped up with the athletes responding calmly and the crowd reacting with good humor, and it is set to be remembered as yet another classic Olympic moment.
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