The 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin tonight in Vancouver where the already lengthy list of participants with links to McMaster will grow a little larger.

Former Hamilton Tiger-Cat and alumnus Jesse Lumsden will be getting a little help from current McMaster student Bill Thomas at this year's Games. Thomas, part of the Canadian bobsleigh development team, will take his sled down the Olympic course in an effort to warm up the track prior to Lumsden completing his temporary transition from running back to Olympian by pushing off with Pierre Lueders, one of Canada's most decorated athletes.

McMaster staff will also make up part of the medical contingent supporting athletes at the Games. Dr. Janice Harvey, from the Campus Health Centre, will provide medical assistance for curlers and Alana Harris, fitness coordinator at the Pulse, will work at the Athletes Village Medical Centre.

Peter Jonasson, laboratory supervisor for the Department of Engineering Physics, will oversee technical operations for the broadcasting of biathlon events and sportswriter Todd Devlin, who won the 2001 Coaches Award from the McMaster Marauders baseball team, is stationed at the Whistler Sliding Centre covering the Games for the Olympic News Service.