Nazgul the dog steals the show at Olympic cross-country ski race

The newest Olympic hero is a Czechoslovakian wolfdog named Nazgul.

The 2-year-old escaped his doghouse on Wednesday and ran through a cross-country skiing course, crossing the finish line during a preliminary race for female skiers at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

The dog, which was quickly apprehended by race officials, ignited a frenzy of support on social media. Photos of Nazgul triggering the photo-finish cameras went viral, attracting millions of views online.

“Someone get him a medal,” wrote the WeRateDogs X account, which boasts more than 8 million followers.

Media members at the event agreed to grant anonymity to Nazgul’s owner, who called the dog “stubborn, but sweet.”

“He was crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving — and I think he just wanted to follow us,” Nazgul’s unnamed owner told National Public Radio. “He always looks for people.”

“I was like, ’Am I hallucinating?’” Tena Hadzic, a Croatian skier who crossed paths with the pup, told on-site media. “I don’t know what I should do, because maybe he could attack me, bite me.”

The dog was unharmed after racing with the competitors and did not act aggressively toward the race officials who helped return him to a nearby bed and breakfast, where he was staying before his bold escape.