Winter Olympics Race Gets an Unexpected Four-Legged Finisher
A stray dog invaded the final stretch of the women's cross-country ski sprint at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Wednesday, February 18.
The dog reportedly broke free of its owner and chased the contestants across the finish line before being escorted away by event security (via ESPN).
The Dog Stole The Show At The Cross-Country Qualifiers
Much to the disappointment of the competing athletes, the stray dog was undeniably the star of the show at this year's cross-country qualifiers. "I became famous with a dog that came across the finish line, and everyone wants to interview me now," said Greek skier Konstantina Charalampidou, who crossed the finish line with the animal.
"He was chasing the camera that goes up and down the finish line. He was cute but not aggressive. I wanted to pet him, but I didn't have the time and I couldn't find him afterwards."
The incident was shown live on the official Winter Olympics broadcast, which is available throughout the events on Peacock. Watch the footage below:
DOG ON THE COURSE AT OLYMPIC SKIING. ????
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026
The late entry closes strong at the cross country finish line! pic.twitter.com/o4mO28tXXW
The men's cross-country finals took place shortly afterwards, with British althletes James Clugnet and Andrew Musgrave standing out as the country's highest-scoring competitors ever.
Norway's Johannes Klaebo and Einer Hedegart took home the gold medal, while Team USA secured a silver meal through competitors Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher.