WATCH: Olympians and spectators shocked by trespasser appearing at finish line
This isn't your average streaker or fanatic gatecrasher...
One thing you can always expect at any major event is some headlineworthy news.
And it's not always the news that seems obvious, or that you anticipate.
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Sometimes, the most exciting thing at the Australian Open is a player's outfit, and the biggest event on the NFL calendar is the Super Bowl, but we only care about the halftime show
There are currently athletes from all around the world, competing at the most significant sporting event in their careers, breaking records and proudly representing their countries at the 2026 Winter Games.
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While these competitors and their teams deserve all the spotlight, you can't ignore this kind of surprise.
On Wednesday, February 18, the women competing in the cross-country team sprint qualifying race got quite a shock when a local made his way onto the course as some of the Olympians were reaching the finish line.
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The culprit was soon identified as Nazgul, the Czechoslovakian wolfdog.
Luckily, the four-legged friend didn't cause too much drama and managed to stay out of the actual competitor's way after he escaped from his doghouse and charged down towards the finish line, hot on the heels of the Olympians.
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Watch him in action below:
Instant Replay: Good Boy Nazgûl Crosses The Finish Line in Cross Country Sprint
by u/Intrepid-Tank-3414 in olympics
Nazgul has quickly become a household name, but not before the on-course announcer jokingly asked, "Anybody lost their dog? It's a fairly nice mutt there, not hindering anybody's progress. One of those moments you have to laugh about. But you know, better it happened now than during the group sprints, let's put it that way.”
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Everyone seemed to be in good spirits about the incident, and there wasn't too much upset about the dog joining in, but his owner has decided to stay anonymous.
Although he didn't impede the skiers, they still had a hard time understanding what was happening:
I was like, 'Am I hallucinating? I don't know what I should do, because maybe he could attack me, bite me.
After getting some head scratches and pets, the two-year-old pup was returned home to a nearby bed-and-breakfast.
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And what does his owner think about his great Olympic adventure?
"He was crying [that] morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving — and I think he just wanted to follow us. He always looks for people."
Nazgul chose the perfect opportunity, as the Olympians might have reacted differently to his intrusion had it not been the qualifying round.
It's not that big a deal, because I'm not fighting for medals or anything big. But if that happened in the finals, it could really cost someone the medals, or a really good result.
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Image: @mahale_dinakar/X