Wolfdog Escapes Home, Crashes Olympic Cross-Country Race

A lonely wolfdog in Italy decided he wasn't going to miss out on Olympic fun, and his breakout performance stole the show at the women's cross-country team sprint.

Nazgul, a silver-gray Czechoslovakian wolfdog, escaped from his home in Tesero on Wednesday morning after his family left to watch the biathlon at the Milan Cortina Olympics. The clever pup repeatedly hit a lever that opened the door, determined not to be left behind.

He made his way to the nearby cross-country venue and waited patiently at the finish line. When the final racers approached, Nazgul darted onto the course and crossed the finish line alongside them, delighting the crowd.

His owners, the Varesco family, were three hours away on a train when friends started sending videos. "That was the panic moment," Alice Varesco told reporters. "We realized we could not do anything."

Alice and her husband Ernesto spent the rest of the day worried, even after learning Nazgul was safe. "We kept thinking about what could have gone wrong," Alice said. It was the first time Nazgul had ever escaped on his own.

Some spectators initially mistook the wolfdog for an actual wolf before officials identified him. Croatian skier Tena Hadzic said she wondered if she was hallucinating when she saw him on the course.

Sunny's Take

The Varescos explained that Nazgul is deeply attached to his family and likely followed the familiar path they usually take for walks together. "He was crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving," one owner explained. "He always looks for people."

The good news: Nazgul's Olympic debut didn't affect the race results, as top medal contenders had already finished. Officials caught him inside the venue, and he was safely home within 30 minutes.

"He likes to stay with his crew," Alice said warmly, describing her adventurous companion who just wanted to be where the action was.

Nazgul's moment in the spotlight proves that sometimes the best Olympic memories come from the unexpected joy of a dog who simply didn't want to miss family time.