Sees himself as "relief pitcher"
Read more: Local
MARQUETTE -- With the Olympic trials underway in many sports, there's one Upper Peninsula man who's already earned his place at the Beijing games.
Marquette's Dr. John Lehtinen will be on the medical team that works with the athletes. He's been involved since becoming the Chief Medical Officer for the United State Olympic Education Center in the mid-1980s.
Since then, Dr. Lehtinen worked the 1992 games in Barcelona and was the head physician for the U.S. team at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
"Right now I'll use the term 'relief pitcher'; I won't have any primary sports assignment, but be there to help out in whatever area needs help. Typically the medical staff for the games is never adequate to provide all the services they need," said Lehtinen.
Dr. Lehtinen says it's an honor to be selected to work the games, but it also involves a marathon schedule. He'll be in China for the entire month of August.
