Watch: 'Speedster' Dog Steals Show By Crossing Finish Line At Winter Olympics Skiing Event

While elite athleticism usually defines the Winter Olympics, a Czechoslovakian wolfdog unexpectedly stole the limelight during Wednesday's (Feb 18) women's cross-country team sprint heats. The large canine, initially mistaken for a husky, barged onto the track mid-race, matching the pace of the athletes as they neared the finish line. The dog's speedy run through the stadium course triggered a massive reaction from the crowd, with the cameo briefly overshadowing the world-class performances of the skiers.

The now-viral clip shows the speedster canine running at full tilt on the snow-covered final straight of the track. It was briefly distracted by the trackside camera but quickly refocused on catching up to the two athletes striving for the finish line.

Officials eventually managed to get hold of the mischievous dog, but not before it became a viral sensation. As it turned out, the dog, who goes by the name Nazgul, is owned by someone related to an event official.

"He was crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving and I think he just wanted to follow us," the owner was quoted as saying by NPR. "He always looks for people."

Croatian skier Tena Hadzic said she was surprised by her encounter with the dog. "I was like, 'Am I hallucinating? I don't know what I should do, because maybe he could attack me, bite me," said Hadzic.

Check The Viral Clip Here:

This local Wolfdog joined an Olympic ski event and triggered the finish-line camera. This is Nazgul. He snuck into a cross-country skiing sprint this morning and raced the homestretch with some competitors before being escorted home. 14/10 someone get him a medal pic.twitter.com/BQoerJXX9j

— WeRateDogs (@dog_rates) February 18, 2026

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'He's Just Happy To Be There'

As the video went viral, social media users could not help but be in awe of the furry animal who had provided one of the best moments of the Winter Olympics. 

"Nazgul has been the biggest star of the Winter Olympics so far!" said one user, while another added: "He wasn't competing against them, he was pacing them. Nazgul is clearly the lead coach."

A third commented: "In the USA: he'd have hundreds of adoption offers, a few marriage proposals and his own Insta account. He'd be a wealthy wolf by the end of the Olympics."

A fourth said: "The dog is just happy to be there. Saw people running and thought, hey I bet I can catch them."

After the race, two-year-old Nazgul was quickly collared by race officials and returned unharmed to his home at a nearby bed-and-breakfast.