Nazgul Picks Up Silver in Women's Cross Country Event

Beege Welborn

a little on the nose for a dog named Nazgul to interfere at an event where the official symbol is five rings https://t.co/WdgPLEHKDJ

— Josh RR Jokien (@joshcarlosjosh) February 18, 2026

His owners had left the accomplished 2-year-old escape artist at home in his crate when they went to events at the nearby Olympic venue.

Little did they know their clever friend could open both his crate AND the front door.

They know now, because Nazgul did. He went looking for them and wound up with millions of new friends all over the world.

Alice Varesco, a former Olympic skier, got the shock of her life when she spotted her dog on national TV - sprinting down the homestretch of a Winter Olympic cross-country race. Alice and her husband Enrico, who live near the course in Italy, thought they left 2-year-old Nazgul… pic.twitter.com/6vv0znJo6L

— Robbie Mouton (@mcgmouton57) February 21, 2026

...Alice and her husband Enrico, who live near the course in Italy,  thought they left 2-year-old Nazgul securely locked in kennel before heading out to watch the women's race Wednesday morning. But the escape artist had done it again. Minutes later, friends of hers starting flooding her phone with footage of her Czechoslovakian Wolfdog racing across the finish line on live TV,  gleefully chasing skiers from Greece and Croatia - and his own shot at Winter Olympic glory. It was apology's all around for the organizers and skiers alike.

Someone clever with the video editing hooked the good boy up with an memento Olympic competition video all his own, complete with Italian flag and time stamp.

NAZGUL FOR THE GOLD!

Best thing about the Olympics so far.

Except for the Canadian Curling team cheating. pic.twitter.com/XZC6rsUxLa

— Brick Suit (@Brick_Suit) February 18, 2026