A Czech wolfhound named Nazgul brought an unexpected interruption to the Winter Olympics in Italy on Wednesday morning after escaping from his home and making his way onto the cross-country skiing course.
The two-year-old canine, whose name derives from the ringwraiths in The Lord of the Rings, appeared during the women’s team cross country qualifiers in Tesero.
Footage captured the wolf-like dog initially drawn to cameras before spotting competitors on the track.
The hound then pursued skiers from Croatia and Greece as they approached the finish line, providing considerable amusement for spectators gathered at the venue.
Reactions from competitors varied considerably following the unusual incident.
Swedish skier Jonna Sundling, who topped the qualifying standings, offered a warm response as she passed through the press zone: “It was cute.”
Her Norwegian rival Astrid Oyre Slind, finishing fifth, took the opportunity for some light-hearted banter: “A dog is my least problem, a Swede is my biggest.”
A Czech wolfhound named Nazgul brought an unexpected interruption to the Winter Olympics in Italy on Wednesday morning after escaping from his home and making his way onto the cross-country skiing course
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Not all athletes shared such relaxed views about the canine intruder.
Argentina’s Nahiara Gonzalez Diaz expressed bewilderment: “I thought: What on earth is a dog doing here?”
Greek competitor Konstantina Charalampido, who came last in the qualifiers, admitted she had initially believed the animal was a wolf, given its striking appearance.
The dog caused chaos at the Winter Olympics
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Nazgul’s owner came forward after the race to explain what had happened, speaking to Norwegian outlet VG.
“He just disappeared, ran away from home. He is a very kind dog. Very stubborn, very sweet and very social. He always seeks contact with people. He doesn’t hurt people,” the owner said.
Despite the entertaining nature of the incident for many onlookers, cross-country skiing expert Fredrik Aukland offered a more sobering assessment.
He warned that the dog’s interference “could have been a disaster”, highlighting the potential dangers of an animal running loose on an Olympic course where athletes travel at considerable speeds.
Nazgul’s appearance was not an isolated canine incident at this year’s Games.
Dogs have become something of a recurring feature throughout the tournament in Italy.
The dog had ran away from home before interrupting the Winter Olympics
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One pooch was spotted sitting among spectators at the figure skating, dressed in a Team USA jersey.
Earlier in the week, another dog captured widespread attention online after wandering onto the downhill ski course.
Video footage showed the playful animal slipping and sliding across the icy surface while evading attempts to catch it, eventually covering a substantial portion of the race route.
Both athletes and crowd members were photographed grinning broadly as they watched the impromptu performance unfold.
