Sisi Chan

Underdog story: Surprise canine steals show in Olympic cross-country race

At the 2026 Winter Olympics cross-country skiing course, an unprecedented turn of events played out with a dog unexpectedly joining the competition.

Hit the tracks: The women’s team cross-country free sprint qualification event in Italy received a shock when a canine strayed onto the racing path.

The four-legged intruder quickly became a sensation across social media platform X, with users sharing clips of the dog’s track adventure and voicing diverse reactions.

One of the defining moments was a photograph by Omega, the official Olympic timekeeper, capturing a snapshot of the canine mid-race. Eventually, the dog was safely escorted off the course.

The underdog: The unexpected star of the event was a dog named Nazgul, whose breed and other characteristics were later shared by the owner, much to the fans’ delight.

On-ground reactions: Argentine contestant, Nahiara Diaz Gonzales commented on the unique incident and her thoughts on Nazgul’s brief entry to the sport.

Croatia’s Tena Hadzia recounted her encounter with Nazgul on the track, highlighting some potential negatives of such distractions during high-stake events.

To the surprise of many, Greece’s Konstantina Charalampido shed light on the dog’s impact on her performance, introducing an unexpected silver lining to the unusual event.