During the Olympic women’s team sprint cross-country race in Tesero on Wednesday, a surprising participant made an appearance—a dog. As the final athletes were approaching the finish line, the dog darted onto the course and joined them, much to the amusement of the crowd. It seemed the dog only sprang into action once it spotted the racers, racing alongside them toward the finish.
This energetic pup is named Nazgul, and it’s noted that the owner has ties to someone involved in the event. The two-year-old is a Czechoslovakian wolfdog.
The owner, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that Nazgul had been particularly vocal that morning, possibly suggesting he wanted to join in the fun. “He was crying more than usual because he was watching us leave,” the owner explained, adding that Nazgul has a penchant for seeking out people.
Although Nazgul’s unexpected presence was charming, it didn’t seem to affect the results of the race significantly. Most of the medal contenders had already finished, and a timekeeper even managed to capture a photo of the dog crossing the line.
Interestingly, the dog’s appearance did throw some of the racers off their game. Croatian skier Tena Hadzic reflected on her initial reaction: “I thought, ‘Am I hallucinating?'” she mentioned, somewhat taken aback by the furry intruder. With a mix of concern and confusion, she admitted being unsure of how to react, worrying that the dog might pose a threat.
Despite the distraction, Hadzic conceded that it didn’t affect her much in the end, as she was not in contention for a medal. After all, sometimes life just throws you an unexpected twist, like a dog sprinting through an Olympic race.
