This Italian Dog is Winning the Olympics

A beautiful Czechoslovakian wolfdog walks in winter © Julia Suhareva/Shutterstock.com The post This Italian Dog is Winning the Olympics appeared first on A-Z Animals . Quick Take A 2-year-old dog competitor successfully triggered the Olympic photo-finish system during a Milan Cortina qualifying heat.

The Czechoslovakian wolfdog breed carries a 30-mile-per-hour speed capacity that interfered with the women’s ski team . The dog in question ran from a local bed and breakfast , interested in chasing the competitors. Olympic officials ultimately caught Nazgul the dog unharmed in order to ensure the Milan Cortina results remained official.

Cross-country skiing doesn’t typically involve dogs, but perhaps a new Olympic sporting category is in order after a recent event. On February 18th, 2026, a dog wandered onto the cross-country course in Tesero, breaking into a full sprint right alongside Olympic racers.

This exhilarating chase happened during the women’s team sprint qualification at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and we all got to react in real time. What exactly happened during this fateful race, and how did a dog manage to join the competition? Was anyone disqualified, and, most importantly, is the dog involved alright?

Here’s how one Italian dog joined the Olympics and competed in cross-country skiing, albeit without anyone else’s permission. How This Extra Competitor Got Onto the Course The Olympic games weren’t ready to meet Nazgul, a 2-year-old Czechoslovakian wolfdog.

Reports from NBC and local Italian outlets claim that Nazgul wandered onto the course during a qualifying race, spotting the athletes charging down the final straight. It’s a key moment in the event, with two competitors neck and neck… until a third competitor arrived and began his relentless pursuit. Apparently a local dog, Nazgul interrupted the women’s cross-country skiing event this week.

©iStock.com/cynoclub NPR’s reporting describes Nazgul as a local dog who apparently got loose from a nearby bed-and-breakfast, following his people toward the venue. He doesn’t appear panicked or lost in the footage, his confidence propelling him down the remaining track and even through the finish line behind two Olympic athletes.

How the Olympics Handled Their New Canine Competitor Thankfully, Nazgul didn’t interfere with this particular event, ultimately running in the same direction as the athletes, keeping everyone safe and the event’s results official. Olympic security and staff quickly secured the dog, and the competitors stayed focused that the race continued without incident or complaint.

The finish-line photo system actually captured Nazgul crossing, which means the same technology used for razor-thin Olympic medal decisions ended up documenting some wolfdog’s random jaunt, too. Despite his illegal entry into the competition, Nazgul stole plenty of hearts as his photo-finish was captured moments behind the race’s actual athletes.

Czechoslovakian Wolfdogs are athletes in their own right, capable of running an average of 7-8 miles per hour. ©Best dog photo/Shutterstock.com Speaking of the athletes, the skiers’ reactions were priceless. Croatian skier Tena Hadzic reportedly described the split-second confusion of seeing a dog in the homestretch and not immediately knowing what to do.