Mary Poopins doesn’t run like the others.
On Sunday, August 23, at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington, this dachshund took to the track as she does every year for the annual dachshund race. Her hind legs don’t work, so she gets around with a small wheelchair that she pulls along with her body. When the other competitors had already crossed the finish line, Mary was still halfway there, pushing each wheel with whatever strength she had.
Then something no one expected happened: the audience stood up. Shouts, applause, cameras held high — an entire grandstand chanting her name as she finished her own race, at her own pace. The video, recorded by Christine Nefzger, went viral within hours.
Not everyone saw the scene the same way. Some users questioned whether it was a good idea to have a dog with reduced mobility compete alongside the others, and the debate made its way into the race.