Manila Bulletin Sports Digest (May 2010 Issue) by Lee Don Francisco

STAFFBOX EDITOR

WILLIE B. CABALLES

STAFF WRITER

MA. KRISTINA J. MARALIT

COUNTRIBUTING EDITORS:

Vol. VIII, No. 5 May 2010

LORENZO GAHOL DAVE COROS LITO CINCO ATTY. ED TOLENTINO ROD PINEDA TET ANDOLONG JEFFREY PASCUA

GRAPHIC ARTIST

LEE DON FRANCISCO ATTY. HERMOGENES P. POBRE President & Publisher DR. EMILIO C. YAP III Exec. Vice President-Advertising Dept. PACIENCIA M. PINEDA Exec. Vice President-Advertising Dept. LYNE A. ABANILLA Vice President-Classified Advertising Dept. GERONIMO S. MONTALBAN AVP-Classified Advertising Dept. ALVIN P. MENDIGORIA AVP-Engineering Dept. JESUS H. MALLARE AVP- Circulation Department

PHOTOGRAPHY

BOB DUNGO JR. DR. EMILIO T. YAP Chairman of the Board BRIG. GEN. PROCESO D. ALMANDO (WPD RET.) Vice President-Administration CARMEN S. SUVA Vice President-Public Relations MELITO S. SALAZAR, JR. Vice President-Advertising Dept. AURORA CAPELLAN TAN Vice President-Executive Office JOHNNY L. LUGAY AVP-Information and Communication Technology SANDY U. COTOCO Manager-Credit & Collection

CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RUBEN Y. BULAONG Manager-Circulation/Magazine MANOLITO S. SANTOS Manager-Credit & Collection for Circulation

FLORENDO B. GAMALLO Manager-Cebu Branch DANTE M. SIMANGAN Manager-Davao Branch

527-7522/ 527-7526 and 527-8121 local 371

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT ROGEL S. DATINGUINOO Manager-Display Ads Sales ogieboy@mb.com.ph EDWIN M. URUTIA Assistant Manager-Display Ads Sales edwinmu@mb.com.ph MICHAEL ESMERIA Account Executive michaelesmeria@mb.com.ph

CONTENTS

NIKKI MERCADO Head-Business Development & Sales nikkimercado@mb.com.ph RAUL B. RODRIGUEZ Manager-Special Supplements & Creative Group ARNOLD B. GARLAN Account Executive arnoldgarlan@gmail.com

01 THE POLITICS OF MANNY 06 H-BOMB TO THE RESCUE 08 ANTONIO MARGARITO FIGHTS TO RECLAIM REPUTATION, LICENSES 10 DISAPPOINTMENTS IN THE NBA 14 CHINA’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE BAD BOY 18 UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR WOODS 22 A PHIL-GOOD MASTERS FOR MICKELSON 24 NO HEARTBREAK ENDING FOR SHAWN MICHAELS 26 25ERS RAISE THE (EXCEL) ROOF 30 CHRISTINE ON TOP OF HER GAME 32 DOUBTS CAST ON TRENDY SPORTS MEDICINE THERAPY 34 HYDRATION 101 38 THE MOM WITH DIFFERENT HATS 46 NOT YOUR ORDINARY GIRL-NEXT-DOOR 49 ASIA’S KITEBOARD HEAVEN 50 KIDS TAKE CENTER STAGE 52 UNTIL THEN, SIR WILLIE 54 JESUS ERLE SEBASTIAN –Pit And Podium 58 BEHIND THE CHAMPS ARE THEIR MOMS 64 ROD PINEDA – Tennislife

COVER DESIGN:

LEE DON FRANCISCO

COVER PHOTO:

CANDICE REYES

Direct: 527-7524; Trunkline: 527-8121 to 35 locals 305 or 309; Fax: 527-7533 E-mail: mbmagz@mb.com.ph or mbmagz@gmail.com THE MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST is published by the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation. Muralla cor. Recoletos Sts. Intramuros, Manila/ E-mail address: sports@mb.com.ph/ For advertising and subscription inquiries, call tels. 527-8121/ ISSN 0119-4119 HEAD OFFICE ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Ads Section Tel. 527-7515; 527-7517; 527-7520; 527-7524/ Fax 338-4564; 527-7533 / Classified Ads Section Tel. 527-7523; 527-7530/ Fax 527-7534/ CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT Tel. 527-7522 Fax 527-7526 METRO MANILA BRANCHES AYALA AVENUE BRANCH 6762 Ayala Ave., Makati City Tel. 813-2142; 813-7476/ Fax 813-5826/ ALABANG BRANCH Unit 104 G/F South Center Tower, 2206 Market, Madrigal Business Park Alabang, Muntinlupa City Tel. 772-1901; 772-1902/ Fax 772-1903/ CUBAO BRANCH Aurora Boulevard corner Cambridge Cubao, Quezon City Tel. 912-2267; 912-2295; 913-5157/ Fax 912-2261/ MALL OF ASIA Unit No. 112-113 SP Mall of Asia Central Business Park Bay City, Pasay City Tel. 556-1441; 556-0033; 556-0081/ MAKATI BRANCH Ground Flr., Atrium of Makati, Makati Avenue, Makati City Tel. 811-4357; 811-4453; 811-4391 Fax 812-3962/ ORTIGAS BRANCH Ground Flr, Hanston Bldg., Emerald Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City Tel. 631-3046 to 49/ WEST AVENUE G/F Delta Building, West Avenue cor. Quezon Ave., Quezon City Tel. 373-3910; 373-3911; 373-3912 Fax 373-3913

By JEFFREY PASCUA

06 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

Rudy Hatfield is caught in Rain Or Shine’s defensive trap. (www.pba.ph)

he PBA’s perennial comeback kid is once again wearing a basketball jersey. And though his game is still a bit rusty, the same intensity and toughness that characterize it remain evident. Say welcome to Rudy Hatfield, the veteran forward who has just rejoined his old, beloved Barangay Ginebra team. Hatfield is reunited with old teammates Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa and Eric Menk in the squad. His addition bolsters the frontline of the Gin Kings, an area that according to coach Jong Uichico badly needs a quick refurbishment. The H-Bomb formally returned to action last April 10 against Rain or Shine in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. He was utilized for three minutes, mainly for the purpose of making him feel the PBA action again. He took four shots on the floor and made one for a two-point output. Minimal the exposure may be, it was enough to bring back Uichico’s trust in him. “He played well, not bad after a two-year lay-off,” said Uichico. “He’s still adjusting but I’m sure, he’ll get his timing back.” Hatfield, who needs to familiarize himself again with the plays of the team as well as the playing styles of his new teammates, was given the chance to play in the absence of JC Intal. The latter reported sick for the out-of-town outing so Hatfield got the opportunity to see action. Ginebra won the said encounter, 100-98. The 6-4 forward from Michigan debuted on Philippine soil in the late 90s. He first brought his game to the Metropolitan

‘The H Bomb’ (right) chats with teammate and best friend Eric Menk. (Ali VICOY)

Basketball Association (MBA), starring for the Laguna Lakers. He was then recruited by the Tanduay franchise a year later. In 2004, the PBA disallowed him to continue playing over questions on his Filipino lineage. But he came back in 2006 after Malacañang confirmed that he indeed has Filipino lineage. After his Tanduay stint, Hatfield suited up for Coca-Cola. It was in this club that his game completely blossomed in the pros. He was one of the pillars of the team back then. Hatfield though decided to quit his PBA career again after breaking up with his showbiz girlfriend. He went back to the States and studied the ways of professional wrestling. That didn’t turn out well though and soon Hatfield was back in the country playing hoops once more. When Hatfield was traded to Ginebra, the perpetuallyactive dribbler quickly took advantage of the situation. He renewed ties with Menk in the painted area and helped Ginebra capture the 2006-07 Philippine Cup diadem. He left after that to deal with his personal problems. Now that he’s ready to rock and roll again in the PBA after an absence of two years, Hatfield wants nothing less than a new championship for his team. He knows how popular the franchise continues to be and there’s nothing else that fuels his drive but to satisfy the legions of Ginebra fans across the country. Hatfield, who incidentally still wears his prominent number 99 jersey, feels challenged too by the emergence of

Rudy Hatfield is back in the Gin Kings fold after a two-year absence. (Ali VICOY)

young talents in the pro league. This would be his first time to see the likes of Gabe Norwood, Rico Maierhofer, Jervy Cruz and Beau Belga perform and he understands the kind of competition that these youngsters offer inside the court. Of course, he is also excited to bang bodies again with old adversaries like Jay Washington, Harvey Carey, Reynel Hugnatan and the other old-timers. Hatfield believes that the current Ginebra line-up is capable of winning the PBA Fiesta Cup. He said that the squad’s backcourt rotation is secure with the return of the Fast and the Furious as well as Ronald Tubid, Celino Cruz and Cyrus Baguio. The frontline has also been strengthened with the acquisition of Yancy de Ocampo from TNT and the presence of Billy Mamaril and Eric Menk. Import Awvee Storey, who scored 40 points and pulled down 25 rebounds against Rain Or Shine, also appears to fit well with the Ginebra system. To annex the Fiesta Cup crown, Ginebra will have to go through the proverbial eye of the needle. San Miguel Beer, with its loaded roster and incredible import in Gabe Freeman, as well as Alaska, Sta.Lucia, B-Meg Derby Ace, Coca-Cola and TNT look formidable to make their own run for the top plum. The Fiesta Cup is still a long trek to make. And Hatfield has just made a few steps on a journey of a conference that should be filled with moments of professional self-discovery.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

GILBERT ARENAS

BEN GORDON

BLAKE GRIFFIN

One All-Star who has let his team down big time is Washington’s Gilbert Arenas. For a man who is being paid millions for playing the game of basketball, the 6-4 guard is earning every penny of it out of the hardcourt arena. After missing games in the past because of his knee injury, he was forced out of the court again, this time after being sentenced to 2 years probation by the court for bringing guns into the Verizon Center. There’s no denying that the former Arizona stalwart is the heart and soul of the Wizards. His high-octane offense is what fuels Washington’s game. Without him, the Wizards simply self-destructed. And that’s what has happened again this season when he became irrational again and forgot that his 22.6 points and 7.2 assists per game were vital stats to his team’s very survival.

Another disappointment would be Detroit’s Ben Gordon. The former Chicago Bulls pointmaker was pirated by the Pistons in order to enhance their own offensive arsenal. In his years in the Windy City, Gordon had normed career numbers of 17.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists. But as a Piston this campaign, the 6-3 guard from Connecticut has been good only for 13.6 points, 1.9 boards and 2.7 feeds per contest. Even though he has been reunited with his college teammate Charlie Villanueva on the Pistons bench, he hasn’t fully adjusted to the life of a part-time starter yet, not to mention the fact that he has also been affected by the injuries he suffered throughout the year. Gordon needs to rekindle the consistency that made him a serious threat in Chicago if only to justify his abrupt transfer to Detroit.

Leading the gang of frustrated dribblers for the year is no other than the number one pick overall in the last rookie draft, Blake Griffin. The former Oklahoma star was set to help turn around a moribund LA Clippers team when a final preseason game became a sudden nightmare. The 6-10 forward suffered a stress fracture in his left patella or knee cap after finishing a dunk. He had hopes of returning to duty on a later date but when things turned out as projected, he decided to finally skip the entire season. He had a successful surgery recently though so that would give him enough time to prepare for next year’s wars. Still, Griffin would have given the Clippers a muchneeded firepower on the court had he not been sidelined prematurely.

NEXT PAGE PLEASE << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

FROM PAGE 10

KEVIN GARNETT

YI JIANLIAN

RASHEED WALLACE

TRACY MCGRADY

Kevin Garnett still has enough spunk in his game to make him valuable in the game. He is still capable of registering double-double games. However, the problem lies in his inability now to do it on a consistent level. And for that, the 14year veteran has become a slight disappointment in the Celtics’ regular season run. Garnett has experienced rough nights offensively, making Boston vulnerable as a result. Quite obviously, Garnett has been slowed down by the wear and tear of the game. His thigh and knee injuries have taken their toll on him, disrupting his usual rhythm and stunting the progress of the team as a dire consequence. In 68 outings so far, the 6-11 forward has averaged 14.4 points and 7.3 caroms. Those are not enough though. Garnett needs to improve on those stats if he wants to earn his second NBA championship ring this year.

Another disappointment in the Eastern Conference is Yi Jianlian. A lot was riding on the shoulders of this Chinese talent when he was first drafted to play in the majors. Two years and two NBA franchises after, the man hasn’t met even half of those lofty expectations. He remains inconsistent and lacks assertiveness most of the times. During the season, the import from Shenzhen, China also suffered from ankle, shoulder and knee injuries, preventing him from giving solid contribution to New Jersey. Of course, one can say that NJ is a disappointment as a whole organization, being the worst squad in this year’s NBA edition. The 7-0 forward has averaged 11.7 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Nets. But those numbers need to be padded in the near future if he wants to remain a Net or an NBA player for that matter.

Garnett’s teammate, Rasheed Wallace, has become similarly disappointing. The Celtics made major trades prior to the opening of the present season to improve the team’s 2008-09 winloss record. Unfortunately, instead of getting better, Boston has become worse. Wallace is not to be blamed single-handedly for the apparent slide but he gets to receive some of the flaks nonetheless. Now on his 14th season in the league, the North Carolina product has tried hard to portray the part of the team’s 6th Man. He has been partly successful, averaging 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds. However, his extra-curricular activities like making postgame comments about referees and officiating have hampered his game in many instances. Wallace needs to upgrade his pergame stats even more in the playoffs if he wants to help the Celtics win their second crown in three years.

The biggest downer of the season is no other than New York’s Tracy McGrady. From being a highly-touted league superstar whose explosive talent is enough to influence the outcome of any ballgame, he has suddenly become a nonperforming entity on the hardwood this year. No thanks to a variety of injuries that have conspired to ruin the quality of his game, the 6-8 forward has become a pitiful sight on the floor. He had laid a big fat egg in the scoresheet. He has had ugly games both as a Rocket and a Knick. And he has been kept in the New York freezer in many games. His per game averages of 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists are definitely career lows. At age 30, T-Mac is still relatively young. That means he has sufficient time to get his bearings back. If not, he might just end up as another forgotten man in the NBA.

12 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

I MA STEPHON

RBURY.

(Getty Im

ages)

ET SAIG r) T R rite OBE By R Sportsw (AFP

TUR

14 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

N TO PAG E 1 6 P LS

n two months in China, former NBA bad boy Stephon Marbury has shed his self-centered, spoiled image and wowed rabid fans with his dazzling play. The question now is: will he stay for a new season? The ex-New York Knicks point guard, now of the Shanxi Brave Dragons, is by far the biggest foreign star ever in the Chinese Basketball Association and one of several African-American players enlivening the 15-year-old league. After cutting a disgruntled figure back home, the 33-year-old ended his first season in China as the CBA’s most valuable player at the league’s All-Star Game, leading the North All-Stars to a 133-121 win over the South. “I had a lot of fun. You never know what’s going to happen out there, but being in an All-Star Game is always an honor,” he said after scoring 30 points, many on threepoint shots, and making 10 assists in the Beijing game. “I knew there were going to be a lot of people, so I wanted to give the fans a show ... if you are going to be playing in an All-Star Game you always want to do that.” But Marbury -- who is known by the three Chinese characters “Ma Bu Li” -- remains cagey on whether he will stay to build on his court success and his hopes of marketing his “Starbury” brand of basketball shoes.

One Rizal PaRk, Manila, PhiliPPines

Tel.: (632) 527-0011 COnneCTing all dePaRTMenTs Fax: (632) 527-0022 TO 24 http://www.manila-hotel.com.ph email address: resvn@manila-hotel.com.ph << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

for Shanxi rbury playsngg Stephon Ma uan New inst Do nd Zhongyu aga of the rou th 19 ing the nxi Province of Century dur n, Sha tty Images) CBA in TaiyuaChi na. (Ge

FROM PAGE 14 “I’m going to have to weigh my options as far as what I’m going to do, but I’m looking forward to doing so (coming back),” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to play basketball in the CBA. I think it has been a great experience, so I have to evaluate it with my wife, see what my kids think about the situation. “It might be a situation where, you know, I might be here for a couple of years and my family might have to move here. So there is a lot to think about.” Marbury wants Shanxi in northern China to bring in better players, retain coach Wu Qinglong and reportedly craft a compensation package that could include a shoe marketing deal and a playing salary of $2 million. In 15 regular-season games, Marbury averaged 22.8 points and 9.5 assists for the Brave Dragons, managing to eke out a 10-win, 22-loss record for a team that was just 4-13 before he arrived. The team enjoyed record crowds at home,

16 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

a reception that marked quite a turnaround from his controversial 15-year NBA career. After being benched by former Knicks coach Isiah Thomas during the 2007-2008 season, Marbury refused to play in what became an ugly spat that drew national headlines and alienated fans. The rancour dragged into the following season until the Knicks bought out the final year of a reported $42 million contract in early 2009. He last played for the Boston Celtics. Marbury still hopes to play again in the NBA one day. But he hinted that the fan adoration, and the respect he enjoys from CBA players and coaches, will be hard to give up. “They respect me because of what I do on the court,” he said. “People wrote so many things back at home. It is political back at home. Coming here, people really understand who I am as a basketball player and a person. They’ve had an opportunity to see for themselves.” The All-Star Game showcased Marbury’s

Former NBA superstar Stephon Marbury shows off his Shanxi Brave Dragons jersey. (Getty Images)

impact. The first person to play in both an NBA and a CBA All-Star Game, he led an American domination of the fast-paced, nationally televised game that also saw big performances by former Denver Nugget Rodney White, one-time Houston Rocket John Lucas and Nigerian Olumide Oyedeji, an ex-Seattle Supersonic. Zhang Qingpeng, China’s national team point guard, who scored 29 points for the North and proved the only Chinese star to match the quality of the former NBA players, gushed about Marbury’s play. “He controls the game. When he passes, he gets the ball to you in a very comfortable position and makes it easier to score. There is a lot we need to learn from him.” South All-Star Lin Zhijie said: “He knows how to turn it on as the game progresses. From the start of the game, he got everyone involved playing high-level basketball. This is how an All-Star Game should be.”

Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Leading Manufacturer and Exporter of High Quality Intravenous Fluids for Patients, Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists and Hospital use.

EURO-MED Laboratories Phil., Inc.

United Nations Avenue corner, San Marcelino, Manila Office Tel. (63-2) 524-00-91-to 98 Fax: (63-2) 526-09-77 Km. 36 Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, DasmariĂąas, Cavite Plant Tel. (046) *4160309 *4160409

By DOUG FERGUSON (AP Golf Writer)

xcept for watching Phil Mickelson slip into another green jacket, Tiger Woods should have few complaints about his week at the Masters. He tied a tournament record by making four eagles. He was never out of the top 10 from the opening round. He had his best 72-hole score at Augusta National in five years. None of that might have been possible without a spontaneous and warm reception on the first tee of

18 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

the first round. Woods might have looked like the same player, but he wasn’t the same person. The fans who came to watch his golf could not ignore the sordid lifestyle that kept him away from the game in the first place. That’s why the cheers were so important. They put him at ease from the start, and he felt more comfortable as the week went on, even as his swing got worse. “Overall, it was a good week,” Woods said after he tied for fourth.

(MAIN IMAGE)Tiger Woods watches K.J. Choi of South Korea’s drive off the sixth tee during the first round of the Masters. (AP) / (PICTURE ON THE LEFT)Tiger Woods pumps up after a birdie putt on the ninth green during the first round of the Masters. (AP) / (PICTURE ON THE RIGHT) Tiger Woods speaks during his press conference at the Masters. (AP)

The next step? Woods didn’t say when he would play again. He said he needed to “take a little time off and kind of re-evaluate things.” If he sticks to a normal schedule, Woods could show up at Quail Hollow or The Players Championship or even the Memorial. Those are the three places he typically plays before the US Open at Pebble Beach. Just don’t get the idea the next step will be forward. All of those tournaments, or any others he chooses to play this year, will be everything Augusta National is not. They will be public golf tournaments, with fans who won’t worry about losing their season badges. What he hears from the crowd sitting around the island green on the 17th hole at the TPC Sawgrass might

be a little different from what he heard in Amen Corner. And the scrutiny will not stop. Woods set himself up for failure when he pledged to tone down his temper -- the celebrations and the cursing. He caused quite the stir in the opening round when he flung his iron to the ground after an errant shot to the 14th. A year ago, no one would have noticed. Now, it was proof that Woods hadn’t changed a lick. He seemed to reach a boiling point when CBS Sports analyst Peter Kostis asked him about controlling his emotion without eliminating it. “I think people are making way too much of a big deal of this thing,” Woods said. “I was not feeling good. I hit a big snipe off the first hole, and I don’t know how people can think I should be happy about that. I

hit a wedge from 45 yards and basically bladed it over the green. These are not things I normally do. So I’m not going to be smiling, and not going to be happy.” Woods at least showed some signs of improvement with his temper, and he was more engaging with the fans over four days than he had been over the last 14 years. Then came two words that got him into more hot water -- Ben Hogan. While talking about how he could produce good scores after not competing in five months, Woods spoke about the intensity of his practice sessions. “It’s very similar to what Hogan went through coming off the accident,” Woods said. “Just couldn’t play that much, and when you can’t play, you have to concentrate on your practice.” Woods was talking only about preparations

NEXT PAGE PLEASE << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR WOODS

FROM PAGE 18

for a tournament, but he was panned for even comparing himself with Hogan because the two accidents were nothing alike. Hogan’s car crashed into a bus, and he threw himself across the passenger seat to save his wife. Woods’ SUV ran over a fire hydrant and into a tree, and his wife saved him -- at least that’s what he said. This is the kind of inspection every answer, every act is going to get -- maybe for the rest of the year. First comes the next PGA Tour event he plays with fewer restrictions on the gallery. Then comes the next major, where the volume is cranked up, and the US Open is about as public as it gets. St. Andrews is a home game for the British tabloids, and there might be a trip to the Ryder Cup in Wales, which is rancorous even in good times. This could be a long year. The Masters might have looked like a start but, for Woods, it was more like spring training. As much as Woods might be applauded in some corners for the way he played, he acted as though the last five months never diagnosed happened. with breast That was in sharp contrast cancer. She to Mickelson, who also is had support all dealing with a shattered around her, from world, albeit far difference close friend Jennifer circumstances. Mackay (the wife of It was jarring to see Amy Mickelson’s caddie) Mickelson making her to her children and her way toward the 18th husband. green, her first Mickelson wouldn’t let go time on a golf of her hand. course since Mickelson won two the shocking tournaments at the end of last news 11 year, but even then he didn’t look months the same, didn’t have the same ago that kind of energy. she had While her outlook is good, the been medication his wife is taking has made for an emotional roller-coaster. Woods has gone through five months of humiliation from being caught cheating on his wife, some of that in therapy, yet he looked no different from when he last played. Would it have been different if Woods had won the Masters? Maybe. And based on his performance in his tournament back, that day might be coming sooner rather than later. But the inspection of his game and his behavior and his words won’t end with the Masters no matter how many autographs he signs.

Tiger Woods tees off at the first hole. (AP)

20 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

PHILTRUST BANK PHILIPPINE TRUST COMPANY 94 YEARS OF BANKING SERVICE TO THE NATION

UNITED

A UNIVERSAL BANK

HEAD OFFICE PHILTRUST BANK BUILDING P.O. BOX 150 NATIONS AVENUE CORNER SAN MARCELINO STREET, MANILA FAX: (632) 521-7309 E-mail: ptc@philtrustbank.com

DEPOSITS

SAVINGS ACCOUNT * CHECKING ACCOUNT * TIME DEPOSIT FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSIT * MONEY MARKET * TRUST FACILITIES OTHER DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN COMMERCIAL BANKING SERVICES with Correspondents in Principal Trade Centers of the World PLEASE CONTACT OUR HEAD OFFICE OR ANY BRANCH FOR YOUR REAL ESTATE LOANS COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL LOANS IMPORT & EXPORT FINANCING BINONDO BRANCH

Metro Manila Branches

DIVISORIA BRANCH

ELCANO BRANCH

ESCOLTA BRANCH

JUAN LUNA BRANCH

Philtrust Building Quintin Paredes corner Dasmariñas and Plaza Cervantes Binondo, Manila

Philtrust Building C.M. Recto corner Carmen Planas St., Divisoria, Tondo, Manila

Philtrust Building Elcano corner Lavezares St. Binondo, Manila

Philtrust Building 277 Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila

Philtrust Building Juan Luna corner San Fernando St., Binondo, Manila

Philtrust Building Samson Road (near Bonifacio Monument), Caloocan City

LIBERTAD BRANCH

Philtrust Building A. Arnaiz Ave. corner Taft Ave., Pasay City

MABINI BRANCH

MALATE BRANCH

MANDALUYONG BRANCH

Philtrust Building Dr. Nicanor Reyes corner R. Papa Sts. Sampaloc, Manila

Philtrust Building Dr. Sixto Antonio Ave. Pasig City

REINA REGENTE BRANCH

CALOOCAN BRANCH

MORAYTA BRANCH

STA. CRUZ BRANCH

Philtrust Building Plaza Lacson corner Rizal Ave. Sta. Cruz, Manila

CUBAO BRANCH

Philtrust Building A. Mabini corner U.N. Avenue, Manila

PASIG BRANCH

PUYAT AVENUE BRANCH

QUEZON BOULEVARD BRANCH

SUCAT BRANCH

AURORA BOULEVARD BRANCH

LAS PIÑAS BRANCH

Philtrust Building Dr. A Santos Avenue corner St. Rita St., Parañaque City

Philtrust Building 259-263 Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City

United Nations Ave., corner Maria Orosa St., Manila

MAKATI-TORDESILLAS BRANCH NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TERMINAL 1 BRANCH Gil Puyat Avenue corner

NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TERMINAL 2 BRANCH

PADRE RADA BRANCH QUEZON AVENUE BRANCH

QUIAPO BRANCH

Departure Level, Departure Level, Ninoy Aquino International Airport Ninoy Aquino International Terminal 2 North Wing-International, Pasay City Terminal 1, Paranaque City

Padre Rada corner Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila

Philtrust Building Adjacent to Far Eastern University Manila

Philtrust Building 15th Avenue corner Aurora Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City

ERMITA BRANCH

Epifanio de los Santos Ave., Cubao, Quezon City

Tordesillas Street, Makati City

Philtrust Building Remedios corner M.H. del Pilar St., Manila

Quezon Avenue corner Plaza Miranda corner Villilobos St., Sto. Domingo St., Quezon City Quiapo, Manila

Philtrust Building Alabang - Zapote Road Almanza 1, Las Piñas City

GRACE PARK BRANCH

225 Rizal Avenue Ext. (between 6th and 7th Avenue) Grace Park, Caloocan City

DAVAO STA. ANA BRANCH

Philtrust Building Philtrust Building Gatuslao corner Cuadra St., Monteverde Ave., corner Bacolod City F. Bangoy St., Davao City FUENTE OSMEÑA BRANCH

CAVITE BRANCH

TAFT AVENUE BRANCH

1844 Taft Avenue, Pasay City

LA UNION BRANCH

Philtrust Building Antipolo City

MACTAN BRANCH

Philtrust Building, Mactan, Cebu

LIMAY BRANCH

Philtrust Building National Road Limay, Bataan

Philtrust Building Baguio City

MARIKINA BRANCH

Philtrust Building

MAKATI BRANCH

Liberty Building, Antonio Arnaiz Ave., Makati City

PACO BRANCH

Simplicia Building Pedro Gil corner A. Linao St., Paco, Manila

UNIMART BRANCH

VALENZUELA BRANCH

Greenhills Commercial Center, Ortigas Ave., San Juan, Metro Manila

CEBU BRANCH

Dading Building opposite Municipal Building Poblacion 2, Valenzuela

COLON BRANCH

Philtrust Building Colon Street, Cebu City

DAVAO RECTO BRANCH

Caritas Building Claro M. Recto Avenue, Davao City

ROXAS CITY BRANCH ANGELES CITY BRANCH CAGAYAN DE ORO BRANCH

Philtrust Building Roxas Avenue Corner Primero de Mayo St., Roxas City, Capiz

Opening Soon

BAGUIO BRANCH

AYALA AVENUE BRANCH

National Life Insurance Company Building Ground Fl. 6762 Ayala Ave., Makati

One San Miguel Avenue corner Shaw Boulevard, Ortigas Center Pasig City

Bulacan Trade House Philtrust Building Philtrust Building Km. 41 Aguinaldo Highway Provincial Capitol Compound Magallanes corner F. Gonzales St., McArthur Highway, Malolos City Cebu City Silang, Cavite

11 P. Gomez St. Diocesan Bldg. Philtrust Building San Fernando, La Union Osmeña Blvd., cor. Llorente St. Cebu City ANTIPOLO BRANCH

BULACAN BRANCH

Philtrust Building Reina Regente corner Soler St., Binondo, Manila

ORTIGAS BRANCH

ONGPIN BRANCH

Ongpin corner S. Padilla St., Binondo, Manila

Provincial Branches BACOLOD BRANCH

Philtrust Building Shaw Boulevard corner Kalentong St., Mandaluyong City

BAMBANG BRANCH

Philtrust Building Bambang cor. Magdalena, Manila EDSA BRANCH

Philtrust Building, Edsa corner Roosevelt Ave., Quezon City

Philtrust Building McArthur Highway Corner B. Aquino Street Angeles City, Pampanga

BEL-AIR BRANCH

Philtrust Building Makati City

TAGUIG BRANCH

One Global Place, 5th Ave. cor. 25th St.

Philtrust Building S. Osmeña St. cor. J. Ramonal Cogon, Cagayan de Oro City

ILOILO BRANCH

Philtrust Building

ROOSEVELT BRANCH

Philtrust Building

INTERESTED TO BUY OR LEASE CORNER PROPERTIES SUITABLE FOR BANK BRANCHES

PHILTRUST BANK SHARES ARE TRADED IN THE PHILIPPINE STOCK EXCHANGE, INC. Member: Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) Member: Bankers Institute of the Philippines, Inc. (BAIPhil)

Member of the Philippines Deposit Insurance Corporation Maximum Deposit Insurance for each Depositor 500,000

DAUGHTER AMANDA (LEFT) WATCHES AS PHIL MICKELSON HUGS HIS WIFE, AMY, AFTER WINNING THE MASTERS. (AP)

PHIL MICKELSON AND WIFE, AMY. (AP)

PHIL MICKELSON ACKNOWLEDGES THE GALLERY DURING THE FINAL ROUND OF THE MASTERS. (AP)

was his emotional embrace behind the 18th green with his wife, Amy, on the golf course for the first time since being diagnosed with breast cancer. It tied a pink ribbon around a Masters like no other. Now, looking ahead, a green jacket usually bodes well for Mickelson. When he won his first major in the 2004 Masters, he gave himself a chance to win them all. Mickelson had the US Open won until a double bogey from the bunker on the 71st hole, and Retief Goosen had a putting performance that ranks among the best. Mickelson finished one shot out of a playoff in the British Open at Royal Troon. And he was in contention one late Sunday afternoon at Whistling Straits until finishing two shots out of the playoff at the US PGA Championship. After winning his second Masters in 2006, Mickelson was on the cusp of capturing the US Open -- and a third straight major -until he unwisely chose to hit 3-iron that clattered off a tree and led to double bogey on the final hole at Winged Foot. No other major means as much

to him as the US Open, at least for now. Mickelson already holds the record with five runner-up finishes, including last year at Bethpage Black when a slab of mud on his ball and three putts on the 15th hole derailed his inspirational run. Mickelson is a three-time winner at Pebble Beach, although the course is perceived as Woods’ playground. It was at Pebble Beach in 2000 that Woods set a record that might never be broken, winning a US Open by 15 shots. Such dominance, however, might have had more to do with Woods’ game than the course. Augusta National, meanwhile, might have been more responsible for Mickelson winning the Masters than his game. It is the one course that puts Mickelson at ease, knowing that no matter where he hits a shot, he’ll usually have a chance at the next one. “I’m relaxed when I drive down Magnolia Lane because I know that I don’t have to play perfect golf,” Mickelson said, alluding to his three par saves -- Nos. 9, 10, 11 -- as evidence. What made him a Masters champion for the third time --

he now is closer to Woods’ four green jackets than Woods is to the six won by Jack Nicklaus -- is the very style that has caused so many to question Mickelson. “Phil won this tournament because he was such an aggressive player,” caddie Jim “Bones” Mackay said. “He’s talked about in the past how it’s a big part of how he plays and why he feels like he has so many wins. There were so many times this week when he had the choice of taking the aggressive approach or the conservative approach.” One of those came at the par-5 13th hole -- in the third round. Mickelson was five shots behind when he took his tee shot down the trees and along Rae’s Creek, leaving him only a 7-iron to a pin tucked on a shelf in the back right corner of the green. Mickelson hit his approach to 8 feet for eagle to begin an amazing run of eagle-eaglebirdie that made up the deficit and sent him on his way. “I think the 7-iron that he hit on (that) Saturday was the shot that in a sense, got him on a roll to winning this tournament,” Mackay said. What made Sunday’s shot on

the 13th so spectacular was more about the decision than the swing. The lie was clean. The trees were close enough that the ball wouldn’t stay in the air very long before getting past them. It was a 6-iron. And this was Phil Mickelson, one of the best players in the world. He had a one-shot lead over Anthony Kim, who was nearly done with his round, and was two clear of Lee Westwood, the greater threat. Mackay, as he has done so often, tried to persuade Mickelson to lay up. Mickelson, as he has done so often, ignored him. “And he hit maybe the best shot I’ve ever seen him hit,” Mackay said. Mackay could barely speak when it was over as he tried to control his emotions, a losing battle. When someone asked how this compared with his other majors, the caddie replied, “Twenty years from now, nothing will compare to it. I can guarantee you that.” Emotionally, probably not. But there are still three majors left this year.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

I STEP

RBURY HON MA

. (Getty

Images)

ET SAIG r) T R rite OBE By R Sportsw (AFP

TUR

14 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

N TO PAG E 1 6 P LS

There would be no more wrestling for Michaels, as the WWE superstar made it clear that the next role he plans to play is that of being a family man. Michaels is married to former World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Nitro Girl Whisper (real name Rebecca Curci) and has two children, Cameron and Cheyenne. “I never thought I’d be a guy who would use wrestling as a springboard to anything else,” said Michaels. “I’ve been world champion and I’m content with that.” Michaels is leaving the grunt-andgroan business at age 44 and with a ton of accomplishments. He was a fourtime (combining both the WWE regular heavyweight and world title versions of the heavyweight crown) WWE heavyweight champion and three-time intercontinental titlist. He was a tag team champion six times (combining the regular and world title versions of the tag belt), teaming up with the likes of Diesel, Steve Austin, John Cena and Triple H. Michaels was back-to-back Royal Rumble king (1995, 1996) and once held the WWE European diadem. It has been a long and wonderful ride into the sunset for Michaels. The youngest of four children, he was born Michael Shawn James Hickenbottom on July 22, 1965 at Williams Air Force Base in Chandler, Arizona. As a member of a military family, he moved many times as a youngster before finally settling in San Antonio, Texas. Michaels initially played football at Randolph High School before enrolling at the wrestling school of Mexican legend Jose Lothario. Michaels’ father, Richard, was a recognized amateur wrestler at the University of Iowa before joining the US Air Force. Michaels was 19 years old when he made his professional mat debut on October 10, 1984, in a match against Kansas City brawler Art Crews. Michaels never really liked his first name and opted to adopt the ring alias Shawn Michaels instead. Michaels initially teamed up with Marty Jannetty and collectively, the two were known as the “Midnight Rockers.” They quickly moved to the American Wrestling Association (AWA) where they immediately feuded with Buddy Rose and Doug Sommers. On January 27, 1987, they won the AWA tag team titles. In 1987, they were very briefly in WWE but were fired. They returned to the AWA and regained the tag team titles. In 1988, Michaels and Jannetty returned to the WWE (WWF or World Wrestling Federation as it was known back then) and were renamed the “Rockers.” Most of their matches featured them in the role of David against their Goliath-sized opponents. Despite being one of the top WWF tag teams for several years they never won the tag team titles. In late 1991, the “Rockers” broke up when Michaels threw Marty through a plate glass window. Several months later, Michaels became Intercontinental Champion. He would lose the title to Jannetty but regain it with the help of his new bodyguard, Diesel (Kevin Nash). He was stripped of the title in late 1993 for failing a steroids test. During this part of his career, Michaels formed the “Kliq.” In the mid-‘90s, the WWE was controlled backstage by a group

known as the “Kliq.” The group, made up of Shawn, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall (formerly Razor Ramon), Sean Waltman (formerly the 1-2-3 Kid) and Triple H, proved extremely popular. Michaels’ popularity hit the roof when he defeated Bret “Hitman” Hart on March 31, 1996 (Wrestlemania XII) to become the WWE heavyweight champion. The match kicked off a bitter feud between Michaels and Hart. It had been reported that Michaels was supposed to return the favor and lose the title to Hart in 1997, but Michaels instead retired, citing a knee injury. He returned a few months later and formed “D-Generation X” with Triple H and Chyna. Tension continued to build up between Michaels and Hart. It took a turn for the worse in November 1997, when Michaels defeated Hart for the WWE heavyweight crown. The original script called for a Hart victory, but Michaels, with help from WWE owner Vince McMahon, was able to emerge triumphant. The match went down in WWE history as the “Montreal Screw job.” Hart left the WWE. Michaels stayed and saw his career scale greater heights. Michaels would retire again after sustaining a serious back injury and reportedly incurring a detached retina. In his time away from the ring, he was briefly an on air commissioner for the WWE and trained several wrestlers, including Matt Bentley and Spanky. He also became a born again Christian in 2001. Michaels returned to the ring at SummerSlam 2002 and feuded with Triple H. In 2006, Shawn and Triple H reformed “D-Generation X.” M i c h a e l s started the year 2010 looking to apply the finishing touches on his career. In January, Hart returned to the WWE after a 12-year hiatus and the “Hitman” and Michaels formally buried the hatchet. Michaels went down in defeat against The Undertaker at Wrestlemania XXVI, but he didn’t go out with a whimper. The match was easily the best in the Wrestlemania card. Michaels is leaving the sport with his legacy intact. More importantly, the once cocky and arrogant Michaels is riding into the sunset a better individual, having re-discovered God. Michaels is a Bible teacher in his native San Antonio. He has also been making cameo appearances in the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), spreading the word of God along with former wrestling star Sting (Steve Borden). The loss to The Undertaker notwithstanding, Michaels has no regrets. “My career was on the line, the career versus the streak. Obviously, I wanted to be the one guy to beat the streak (of The Undertaker). Things didn’t go my way, (but) I still have a great deal of peace and I can look back on a career that I’m very proud of.” Amen to that. FOR COMMENTS, THE WRITER CAN BE REACHED AT ATTY_EDUARDO@YAHOO.COM. << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

By MA. KRISTINA J. MARALIT Photos by CANDICE REYES

any first came to know her as the showbiz neophyte who made people laugh with her “twisted” Tagalog as one of the regular hosts of a noontime variety show back in the 1990s. Her bubbly personality, wit, and of course, pretty face, was more than enough to compensate for her lack of command of the vernacular. Christine Jacob, undoubtedly, is one of local television’s most sought-after hosts, having headlined programs dealing with almost anything and everything under the sun. She is also an in-demand product endorser, with her wholesome image as the biggest selling point. But there’s more to Christine than what people see on camera. She, in her own words, is foremost a mother to her five children -- Paolo, Gabby, Nina, Luis, and Jaime -- and wife to businessman Paco Sandejas. In between taping episodes for QTV-11 variety talk show “Fulltime Moms” which she co-hosts with Suzi Entrata, Christine shared snippets of what it’s like to play different roles everyday. “My day pretty much revolves around what my kids want to do,” the former Olympic swimmer said. “Since it is summer and the kids are at home, it’s very busy. They have activities the whole day everyday.” “But once they go back to school, I’ll be able to have my ‘me time’ again.” Although Christine has a nanny that helps take care of her wily bunch, she says she’s pretty much hands-on in raising them. In fact, she brings her youngest son Jaime, 14 months old, with her to work. “I make sure that I spend as much time with them as possible. It’s very good that I go to work only on Thursdays and Fridays, I have the rest of the week to be with my family.” Asked whether she’s a spoiler or a disciplinarian, Christine said “I am both. I choose my battles with my kids. I’d like to think I’m a cool mom. Whatever they say

30 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

Mommy Christine plays with 14 month-old son Jaime in-between taping episodes for her show.

CHRISTINE JACOB-SANDEJAS. Champion swimmer-turned-TV personality host Christine Jacob-Sandejas with ‘Fulltime Moms’ co-host Suzi Entrata.

goes. If they want to do something, I do it with them. If they want to go to the mall or somewhere else, we go. But of course, I make sure that they know if they’re crossing the line.” One example of Christine’s child rearing is the way she deals with second child Gabby’s eating habits. “She’s a picky eater. She doesn’t like eating vegetables, only meat. Instead of scolding her, I would encourage her to at least try tasting the food. If she doesn’t like it, she doesn’t have to force herself to finish eating it.” Another way Christine bonds with her children is through swimming. Being a former champion and Philippine record-holder, it is something which she says is “non-negotiable.” “After I stopped competing (in swimming), I took up tennis and I now compete in club tournaments. I also do yoga and I’m also into running. If my kids don’t want to take up those, it’s okay. Pero pagdating sa swimming, ay naku, they have to learn it whether they like it or not,” Christine said with a chuckle. “Seriously, they don’t have to be a competitive swimmer. I want them to learn to swim – and swim well and strong, mostly for survival. You’ll never know, ‘di ba? Fortunately, they are having fun with it.” Is she a “stage mom”? “With my older children, since they’ve already started competing, I check their strokes and techniques and also tell them how to breathe properly. That’s pretty much it. But I don’t really breathe down their necks and nag them about swimming. They didn’t

learn to swim from me, though. Somebody else taught them.” With a laugh, Christine shared an incident where she had to call the attention of her children’s head swimming instructor after one of the assistant trainers were teaching them some techniques “the wrong way.” “I was like, ‘Tama ba ‘yung pinapagawa niya? Mas tama pa ‘yung ginagawa ng anak ko.’ But I didn’t act as if I’m all that because I was in the Olympics, I just felt I had to speak out because my children were being punished for supposedly doing something wrong when in fact, sila ang tama.” Asked on how she has managed to still be in great shape and youthful looking, Christine divulged that she sees to it that she finds time to exercise and watches what she eats – whenever she can. “I love to eat and I have a sweet tooth. I try not to eat meat, but if there’s a juicy steak in front of me, I’ll eat. I practically eat anything. I don’t deprive myself. If I’m craving for something, I’ll eat it. But I make sure that I burn the calories afterwards. “Ako kasi, I can feel when my body is already somewhat different. I feel so sluggish when I don’t exercise. Like I said, the kids are at home because it’s summer. I don’t really have time to do my exercise routine. But I try to be on my toes all the time, I have to keep moving.” And move she does – all the way up. May it be as an athlete, TV personality, or a wife and mother, Christine Jacob-Sandejas is truly on top of her game.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI (AP Sportswriter) Five-time PGA Tour champion Scott Verplank did not get the results he was hoping for after getting treatment for an elbow injury. (Reuters)

ith the Major League Baseball season fast approaching two months ago, former pitcher of the year Cliff Lee didn’t have time for another abdominal strain. Lee had a similar injury twice before, and on both occasions it kept him out for at least six weeks. This time, he was anxious to get back much sooner to help his new team, the Seattle Mariners. So the pitcher chose an unusual treatment in which his blood was drawn, then a solution created from it injected back into his body. The technique, known as platelet-rich plasma injection therapy, has become trendy among top athletes -- even though there’s doubt in the medical community about whether it works. “It’s helped a lot of athletes speed up their healing process,” said Lee, who had the treatment on March 19.

32 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

“I’m hoping it does the same for me.” A recent study in the Netherlands found the treatment was no better than a placebo, the kind of conclusion reached about more common alternative therapies like ginkgo biloba (for memory) and glucosamine (arthritis) by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States. Other athletes known to have undergone PRP therapy, also known as “blood spinning,” include NFL receiver Hines Ward, golfer Scott Verplank, NBA power forward Kenyon Martin and figure skater Patrick Chan. The New York Giants, D.C. United of Major League Soccer, and the San Diego Padres are among US pro sports teams that have had players give it a try. But none of the athletes spoken to by The Associated Press could say that it improved their condition.

“It has not produced the results I was hoping for,” said Verplank, a five-time winner on the US PGA Tour who used it on his injured left elbow. “I wouldn’t say it was a failure, but after six weeks, I didn’t feel like I had a new elbow.” The procedure involves withdrawing about an ounce of blood and spinning it down for about 20 minutes in a centrifuge. That typically yields about a teaspoon of PRP, which is then injected directly into wounded tissue. The idea is the platelets contain proteins known as growth factors that are thought to promote cell growth and healing. “It actually feels like a cramp,” said NBA All-Star Brandon Roy, who had the treatment for a hamstring injury. “They shoot it in there and my leg is sort of cramping.” PRP has been used in surgery and other fields for at least two decades to help with bone and tissue healing. More recently,

sports medicine specialists have used PRP injections in outpatient settings as an alternative to surgery. The therapy has gained notoriety in the past few months partly because of the case of Dr. Anthony Galea, a Canadian sports medicine doctor at the center of a drug investigation in both his country and the United States. Galea told The Associated Press last month that he has been “spinning blood for seven, eight years.” Its use by athletes also has stoked controversy because of allegations that some may have combined PRP with bioengineered human growth hormone, a banned substance in sports. Some agencies also consider PRP a potential p e r f o r m a n c e - e n h a n c e r, although doctors who use it insist it merely helps the healing process. The World Anti-Doping Agency has restricted PRP use because

Major League Baseball pitcher Cliff Lee of the Seattle Mariners. (Getty Images)

injections into muscle can have potential performance-enhancing effects. Injections into tendons and other tissues are permitted by WADA, but athletes must document that a treatment is for medical reasons. Dr. Kenneth Mautner, a sports medicine specialist at Emory University in Atlanta, likens PRP treatment to fertilizing the lawn. “It’s almost like you’re jump-starting the healing process,” he said. Mautner insisted “there’s absolutely nothing performance-enhancing with it.” However, he cautioned that “it would be very easy in the wrong person’s hands to add substances like growth hormone to the mixture.” Cases in which PRP are typically used include tendinitis in the elbow, knee and Achilles’ tendon, but that list is growing. Atlanta Braves pitcher Takashi Saito underwent PRP treatment on his right elbow, avoiding surgery and helping the Los Angeles Dodgers to the playoffs in 2008. Saito said through an interpreter that he wasn’t sure if it worked because doctors later determined the injury was in a tendon higher in his arm and not in the elbow area.

“I never had a vision it would work for all types of problems,” said Dr. Allen Mishra, an orthopedic surgeon at Stanford Medical Center and one of the first researchers on PRP. PRP treatment is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, and it’s not cheap -- each injection costs $500 to $1,500. More than one injection is often needed. Rigorous scientific evidence on its effectiveness is sparse. Several small studies have had mixed results, and even doctors who endorse PRP treatment say more extensive studies are needed to prove its usefulness. “It’s a promising treatment that has shown a lot of clinical success and is probably going to be used more and more in the future,” Mautner said. “But I definitely think we need to make sure the science backs up all the excitement.” The Dutch study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that PRP patients with Achilles’ tendon injuries fared no better than those who received a placebo injection of salt water. Both groups improved after six months.

Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazers underwent PRP therapy for a hamstring injury. (Reuters)

Dr. Anthony Galea is under investigation in Canada and the United States for ‘blood spinning.’ (www.cbsnews.com)

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

FITNESS

By SAUL ANTHONY I. SIBAYAN

henever we do any physical activity, our muscles contract and create heat. We may not be aware of it, but our body detects even the slightest increase in core temperature. We sweat to cool ourselves just like a car, which has a radiator. It has a coolant that goes around the engine block to pick up the heat and goes back to the radiator to radiate the heat, and the cycle goes on. The difference with a car and us humans is that radiators don’t lose fluids (except when there’s a leak). When we sweat, we lose valuable fluids and electrolytes. Sweat is the body’s natural way of regulating temperature, but sweating excessively leads to dehydration which is bad and can lead to other serious health conditions.

34 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

Dehydration is defined as “the excessive loss of body fluids.” It’s normal to lose water, the body needs to excrete waste products through urine and feces, which is called “obligatory excretion.” When people lose 2 percent of their total body weight, they are “clinically dehydrated.” For example, when you normally weigh 100 lbs. and after an exercise weigh 98 lbs., then you are dehydrated. According to one research study, a 2 percent drop in total body weight resulted in a 20 percent decline in overall athletic performance – agility, speed, reaction time, flexibility, power and strength. And when you lose 2 lbs. of your total body weight, you need to replace 1 liter of fluid. Another easy way to know if you’re dehydrated is to check your urine. If your urine is like apple juice, then you’re dehydrated and when your urine looks like anywhere from lemonade to clear, then you’re on the right track. But this does not apply to people taking medications and multivitamins, because other substances or by-products are excreted with the urine. You might want to choose to exercise during cooler parts of the day. Temperature is one of the factors that increase your sweat rate. Humidity can create a layer of sweat and can trap heat inside your body. So wipe the excess sweat from your skin so that heat can dissipate from your body. The best protection against dehydration is proper hydration. We recommend drinking fluids before, during, and after exercise or physical activity. Before and after exercise is not a problem, it’s during training that this is hard to do. It is recommended to drink 400-500 ml. of cold water or a good sports drink before an exercise or activity. During exercise, the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) recommends taking 1 liter per hour or 250 ml. every 15 minutes. With this method, we can delay the onset of dehydration and prevent fatigue, cramps and heat illness. After exercise or training, drink as much fluid as you can. Thirst is a very bad indicator on how dehydrated you are, because when you re thirsty, then you re already dehydrated. If you ll be exercising for more than 1 ½ hours or longer in a hot and humid environment, you need to replace the electrolytes you lose through sweat. Sports drinks are formulated to rehydrate, replenish and refuel active bodies faster than water. These keep us going longer and stronger. Headache, dizziness, elevated heart rate, nausea, cramps, and stoppage of sweating are symptoms of heat illness. Look for a health professional for help, you or your friend might be at risk! Always remember to drink before getting thirsty and drink the right fluid during play or exercise. (Saul Anthony I. Sibayan holds a BS Sports Science degree from the University of Santo Tomas and is currently the seminar coordinator for the Sports Science Initiatives. He is also the trainer for the national Taekwondo team.)

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

FITNESS

By AMY NORTON NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Having two obese parents may substantially raise a child’s risk of becoming obese, with mom’s weight playing a particularly important role, a new study suggests. UK researchers found that among more than 7,000 2- to 15-year-olds in a national study, those who had two obese parents were 12 times more likely to be obese than children with two normal-weight parents. That was with factors such as socioeconomics -- gauged by parents’ jobs -- and ethnicity taken into account. Mothers’ weight showed a particularly strong association with children’s weight, the study found. The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are not the first to connect parents’ obesity to their kids’ risk, or to highlight the role of mothers’ weight. What’s different is that the researchers had measurements of parents’ weight and height, and did not have to rely on self-reports. “The main contribution is that we had objective measures, and that allowed us to be confident that the mother-child association is stronger than the father-child association,” senior researcher Dr. Jane Wardle, a professor of clinical psychology at University College London, told Reuters Health by email. The results are based on data from 4,432 UK families who took part in an annual national health survey between 2001 and 2006. A study nurse measured each participant’s weight and height, and parents and children were classified as normal-weight, overweight, obese or severely obese based on their body mass index -- a measure of weight in relation to height. In 38 percent of the families, at least one parent was obese, while 8 percent had two obese parents. Only 14 percent of families were headed by two normal-weight parents. Child obesity was uncommon in families with two normal-weight parents, at roughly 2 percent. But in families with two obese parents, 22 percent of kids were also obese; when both parents were severely obese, 35 percent of children were obese. Paternal and maternal weight were each connected to children’s risk of being obese. Among children with an obese father, 12 percent were obese themselves, versus 4 percent of those with normal-weight

36 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

fathers. O f children with an obese mother, 14 percent were obese, compared with 3 percent of kids with a normal-weight mother. When the researchers did a statistical analysis controlling for the other parent’s weight, they found that mothers’ weight showed a statistically stronger association with children’s weight than did fathers’. The reasons for that finding are not certain, according to Wardle. However, she said, mothers may be relatively more important because their weight and diet during pregnancy affect fetal development -- and may, research suggests, help set a child’s future appetite regulation and weight. Mothers’ weight may also be a bigger factor than fathers’ because moms are typically the ones who take charge of the children’s diets, Wardle and her colleagues note. “Given that rates of severe obesity are rising rapidly in many countries,” Wardle and her colleagues write, “effects on childhood obesity are likely to be dramatic.” They say their findings highlight the importance of intervening early to prevent the “intergenerational transmission” of obesity. Parents who are obese, Wardle said, should be aware of their children’s increased risk and try to encourage healthy eating and regular exercise. That, she noted, includes improving their own lifestyle habits so they can serve as a role model for their kids. SOURCE: here American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online April 7, 2010.

PBA sportscaster Patricia Bermudez-Hizon with sons Vicente Patrick, age 5, and Paul Andrei, age 3.

By MA. KRISTINA J. MARALIT

portscaster. Businesswoman. Athlete. Wife. Mother. These are just a few of the different hats Patricia BermudezHizon wears each day. But she doesn’t mind being on her toes all the time. In fact, she does it with much gusto. “It’s a matter of planning ahead and prioritizing things,” shares the mother of Vicente Patrick, 5, and Paul Andre, 3. “For example, if it’s a school day, I drop the kids off then I go to the gym. I pick them up, we head home. I help them with schoolwork and play with them a little before I get ready to leave for the PBA or whatever work I have to do that day.” Shaan, as she is fondly called by her peers, puts on a different hat on different times each day. She spends hours on end being in front of the camera, hosting events, writing for a national

38 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

broadsheet, and tending to her travel agency. Add to that being the “Mama” of the family. The power couple discipline their children not by spanking or scolding, but by giving the boys some “time out.” “Whenever they do something Vince and I think is wrong, we make them face the wall. And then later on, we explain to them why they had to be punished. When I’m the one disciplining the kids, then Vince will be the one they can make lambing to and vice-versa.” Shaan says that being a mother is something that cannot be compromised. “Work is very important. But if, let’s say, I’m in the middle of doing something and then my kids would suddenly need for me to be

with them, I’ll drop everything in a heartbeat. The same goes for Vince. No matter how busy we are, we make sure to spend time with Vicente and Paul.” And time together the Hizons definitely have. From going on out-of-town trips, eating out, and doing sports activities together, Shaan says she and her boys do everything together. “I think Vicente and Paul don’t know how busy they are,” she said with a big smile. “Maybe because they enjoy what they do with Vince and I. Our backyard is like a sports complex. We play golf, basketball, and soccer. We would sometimes invite people over and just play games outside. There’s always something to for us to do.” Of course, Shaan still treasures time by her lonesome. She spends her alone time running or biking around the posh village where they live. She has recently taken up boxing, too. “Tingnan mo ang kamay ko, kamay-lalake,” Shaan said laughing.

When at the gym, Mrs. Hizon’s routine usually includes a 3-5km run on the treadmill and weights training on a particular body part she feels she needs to work on, like her legs and knees. Shaan also shared that after giving birth to her youngest son – via caesarean section, she was back at work after three weeks. She credits her speedy recovery to the activities she did while pregnant. “I was into all sorts of stuff when I was pregnant. I did brisk walking, attended Lamaze classes, danced Salsa, and did simple exercises. Those helped a lot to ease me through the labor and delivery. “The post-baby weight did not come off easy. Getting and staying fit is a continuous process. I’m lucky that my husband also lives an active and healthy lifestyle. Working out doesn’t have to be such a drag. And of course, just by running after my boys, is a workout in itself.”

Eldest son Vicente likes studying about the Solar System. Here, he tells Mama Shaan, “Did you know that the sun is made up of hydrogen and helium?”

Paul Andrei watches as Mama Shaan shows him how to putt.

Three-year-old Paul Andrei is a ‘ball of energy,’ according to Patricia. ‘He can’t stay still.’

Patricia Hizon teaches her eldest son Vicente how to shoot a free throw.

Patricia Hizon teaches her eldest son Vicente how to shoot a free throw. << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

FITNESS

By RACHAEL MYERS LOWE NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In developing countries, taller moms tend to give birth to healthier kids who are less likely to die in infancy, be underweight or have stunted growth, a new study finds. At the same time, good nutrition in adolescence and delaying marriage and childbirth appear to lead to taller adults. “This is the first time we’re seeing an effect of the mother’s health -- as captured through her attained height -- being transferred well into the childhood of her offspring,” study author Dr. S. V. Subramanian of the Harvard School of Public Health told Reuters Health. Subramanian and colleagues looked at health data from 54 developing countries gathered between 1991 and 2008 of nearly 3 million births to more than three quarters of a million women between the ages of 15 and 49. The mothers were separated into 5 height categories, ranging from under four feet nine inches to taller than five feet three inches. Overall, almost 12 percent of the children in the study died before the age of five years. With each drop in height category, the risk of child mortality increased “substantially,” the researchers found. Children born to the shortest moms had about a 40 percent higher risk of dying during childhood than those born to the tallest mothers. The risk of death among those born to the tallest mothers was about one in 14, compared to about one in seven for those

40 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

born to the shortest mothers. More pronounced discrepancies were noted in children’s failure to flourish physically. Each lower height category in the moms was associated with a “substantially higher” risk of their children being underweight and having stunted growth. Maternal height was the “most important factor” in determining risk of growth failure, twice the effect of a mother’s education and 1.5 times the effect of her income. “What surprised me the most was the consistency of the findings,” Subramanian said. Whether the results would be the same in wealthier nations is unclear, but Subramanian said it was unlikely, given the extremely different environment into which children in developed nations are born. Even extremely premature infants, for example, can be saved using expensive technology available in richer countries. If researchers looked at other effects, such as mental functioning, they might find similarities, he said. Still, “there are certainly underserved populations (with higher rates of maternal and child undernutrition than the national averages) in high income countries to whom these results/ associations would apply,” Dr. Parul Christian, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters Health. Writing in the April 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Harvard researchers argue that the data suggest nurture impacts nature from one generation to the next. “Past research has shown the benefits of height on life expectancy and income; this is the first study to show the intergenerational passing on of advantage in physical health,” Subramanian said. Because adult height “reflects the stressful nutritional environment of the mother in early life,” the results could have implications for how nutrition programs are designed and targeted. “We need to focus on interventions that have an intergenerational payoff, which happens only when you invest in children -- especially girl children between ages 5 and 15,” Subramanian said. In an editorial accompanying the study, Christian writes that the study underscores the “vast challenge” and value of addressing maternal undernutrition and short stature in turning around child mortality and undernutrition in the developing world. “It could take multiple generations to turn around, but you have to start somewhere,” Christian told Reuters Health. “The next generation will be slightly better.”

FITNESS

By MARIA CHENG (ASSOCIATED PRESS) LONDON (AP) - People playing computer games to train their brains might as well be playing Super Mario, new research suggests. In a six-week study, experts found people who played online games designed to improve their cognitive skills didn’t get any smarter. Researchers recruited participants from viewers of the BBC’s science show “Bang Goes the Theory.” More than 8,600 people aged 18 to 60 were asked to play online brain games designed by the researchers to improve their memory, reasoning and other skills for at least 10 minutes a day, three times a week. They were compared to more than 2,700 people who didn’t play any brain games, but spent a similar amount of time surfing the Internet and answering general knowledge questions. All participants were given a sort of I.Q. test before and after the experiment. Researchers said the people who did the brain training didn’t do any better on the test after six weeks than people who had simply been on the Internet. On some sections of the test, the people who surfed the Net scored higher than those playing the games. The study was paid for by the BBC and published online Tuesday by the journal Nature. “If you’re (playing these games) because they’re fun, that’s absolutely fine,” said Adrian Owen, assistant director of the Cognition and Brain Sciences unit at Britain’s Medical Research Council, the study’s lead author. “But if you’re expecting (these games) to improve your I.Q., our data suggests this isn’t the case,” he said during a press briefing on Tuesday. One maker of brain games said

the BBC study did not apply to its products. Steve Aldrich, CEO of Posit Science, said the company’s games, some of which were funded in part by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, have been proven to boost brain power. “Their conclusion would be like saying, ‘I cannot run a mile in under 4 minutes and therefore it is impossible to do so,” Aldrich said in a statement. Posit Science has published research in journals including the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showing their games improved memory in older people. Computer games available online and marketed by companies like Nintendo that supposedly enhance memory, reasoning and other cognitive skills are played by millions of people worldwide, though few studies have examined if the games work. “There is precious little evidence to suggest the skills used in these games transfer to the real world,” said Art Kramer, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois. He was not linked to the study and has no ties to any companies that make brain training games. Kramer had several reservations about the BBC study’s methodology and said some brain games had small effects in improving people’s cognitive skills. “Learning is very specific,” he said. “Unless the component you are trained in actually exists in the real world, any transfer will be pretty minimal.” Instead of playing brain games, Kramer said

people would be better off getting some exercise. He said physical activity can spark new connections between neurons and produce new brain cells. “Fitness changes the building blocks of the brain’s structure,” he said. Still, Kramer said some brain training games worked better than others. He said some games made by Posit Science had shown modest benefits, including improved memory in older people. Other experts said brain games might be useful, but only if they weren’t fun. “If you set the level for these games to a very high level where you don’t get the answers very often and it really annoys you, then it may be useful,” said Philip Adey, an emeritus professor of psychology and neuroscience at King’s College in London. If people are enjoying the brain games, Adey said they probably aren’t being challenged and might as well be playing a regular video game. He said people should consider learning a new language or sport if they really wanted to improve their brain power. “To stimulate the intellect, you need a real challenge,” Adey said, adding computer games were not an easy shortcut. “Getting smart is hard work.” << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

FITNESS

42 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

common elbow disorder of the throwing athlete • Soft Tissue Injuries - Flexor-pronator strain/rupture - Ulnar Neuritis - Ulnar collateral ligament sprain/rupture • Bony Injuries - Loose bodies (posterior, lateral) - Olecranon osteophytes - Medial epicondyle avulsion - Osteochondritis dissecans of the capitellum

types of baseball pitches:

baseball advisory in pitching skills 1. Control - throwing strikes 2. Command - placing the ball in certain areas of the strike zone 3. Velocity - speed of the pitch 4. Ball Movement

fastball

change-Up

tips to start the season off right • Play in one league per season. • Play only two seasons per year and consider a third only after consulting with an MD. You need atleast three months of rest from throwing activities. • Year-round physical fitness is important, including lowweight resistance and strengthening the rotator cuff, shoulder blade muscles and trunk and leg muscles. • Stretch properly the posterior capsular stretch, it is easy to learn and players had consistent shoulder improvement after doing this. • Warm up by throwing lightly and progressively increasing the velocity and distance. • Do not pitch and play another excessive throwing position such as catcher during the same game. • Don’t practice pitching after a game. • Never play through pain.

slider

cUrveball

** the cy yoUng award is an honor given annUally in baseball to the best pitchers in major leagUe baseball (mlb), one each for the american leagUe (al) and national leagUe (nl).

** baseball and softball will not be inclUded in the 2012 olympics in london, england.

split-fingered fastball << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

Seated roWS target area: BaCk Pull up your dining chair, or anything sturdy that can support your body weight, and sit on the edge. Move your body forward about 60 degrees and put your hands on your side. Hold a pair of dumbbells – or mineral water bottles filled to the brim. Raise your dumbbells or water bottles by bending your elbows and pulling shoulders back together. Return to starting position.

SquatS target area: thighS Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and toes slightly pointed outwards. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground and then return to starting position. Want this workout to be extra-challenging? Carry your toddler as you do the exercise, not only will you be burning away the fat, you will also have quality bonding time with your precious one.

Front raiSeS target area: Shoulder Wall PuSh-uPS target area: CheSt Face the wall and stand about an arm’s length away. Place your hands on the surface like you would do in a “normal” push-up position. Bring your body closer to the wall then go back to starting position.

44 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and toes slightly pointed outwards. Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground and then return to starting position. Want this workout to be extra-challenging? Carry your toddler as you do the exercise, not only will you be burning away the fat, you will also have quality bonding time with your precious one.

FITNESS

By Amy Norton / NEW YORK (Reuters Health)

esearch shows that about half of people with migraines opt to use over-the-counter pain relievers only, with aspirin being a common choice. But it has not been clear exactly how well aspirin performs, or where it fits into the migraine treatment arsenal. In the new review, UK researchers analyzed 13 clinical trials in which patients were randomly assigned to treat their migraine attacks with either a single dose of 900 to 1,000 milligrams (mg) of aspirin or a comparison treatment -- either a placebo or an active drug, usually the prescription migraine drug sumatriptan. Overall, the review found, 52 percent of aspirin users got at least some pain relief within two hours -- meaning their pain was reduced from moderate to severe to “no worse than mild.” That compared with 32 percent of those using a placebo. Similarly, one-quarter of aspirin users were pain-free within two hours, versus 11 percent of placebo users. Aspirin also appeared to reduce

some of the other symptoms that can come with migraine attacks, including nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. But a combination of aspirin and the anti-nausea medication metoclopramide - marketed as Reglan - worked even better, the researchers report in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Across two studies, for instance, 46 percent of patients who used aspirin plus 10 mg of metoclopramide got relief from vomiting within two hours, compared with none of those given a placebo. Still, aspirin -- with or without metoclopramide -- is no magic bullet, said Dr. R. Andrew Moore, one of the researchers on the review. “For about half of people with migraine, aspirin will help at a level of pain relief that is useful. For half it will not,” Moore, of John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, told Reuters Health by email. “No medicine for migraine works in everyone,” he added, “and for the individual the key is finding that medicine -- and

formulation -- that works for them.” The review also found that the short-term relief from aspirin often did not last. Three studies looked at 24-hour pain relief among patients who partially improved within two hours; 39 percent had sustained pain relief for a full day, compared with 24 percent of placebo users. No study assessed 24hour relief among people who were pain-free within two hours of taking aspirin. In addition, while aspirin plus metoclopramide was similarly effective against symptoms as a 50-mg dose of sumatriptan, the prescription drug seemed to work better against pain when taken at a 100-mg dose. Across two studies, 28 percent of sumatriptan users were painfree at two hours, versus 18 percent of those using aspirin and metoclopramide. According to Moore, “it’s useful to know” that an over-thecounter pain reliever works for some people’s migraines. And that’s especially true, he noted, for people in developing parts of the world, since aspirin is

cheap and readily available. “But,” he added, “no one suffering frequent headaches should just self-medicate -it’s always better to see your primary care physician for a chat.” People should also be aware that aspirin, like any medication, carries a risk of side effects. Used regularly, Moore noted, the drug may lead to problems like ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding, and older adults -- who are at increased risk of such problems -- should be particularly cautious about frequently using aspirin for pain relief. Moore said that parents should also avoid using aspirin for children’s migraines. Aspirin, when used by children and teenagers with chickenpox or flu-like symptoms, is associated with Reye’s syndrome -- a rare but serious condition marked by brain inflammation. It’s generally recommended that parents talk with their doctor before giving aspirin to a child younger than 12.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

46 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

FROM PAGE 46

advanced students come in at 10:30 a.m. till noon. During times Gretchen is not around, her brother Sean Mark and national team mainstay Ma. Marna Pabillore are present to supervise. “It’s very convenient for me to have a karate school inside the village. It’s very near my house and I have my brother and mom helping me out,” Grtechen said while waiting for her advanced class students. “Soon, I’ll have another gym in Mandaluyong.” One might wonder why Gretchen would still want to get sweaty and dirty and clad in a kimono that hides her whistle-bait figure. After all, she has already gotten a taste of showbusiness after being part of a reality show, modelling for various magazines, and is now one television network’s most recognized faces in its news department. Being a news reporter takes much of Gretchen’s time and sometimes, even on her rest days, she has to be at different places to cover an assigned beat. Still, no matter how little time she can still spare to be at the dojo, the five-foot-seven looker makes it a

48 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

point be with her students and check on their progress. “It’s hard to let go of something I really love. I miss the adrenaline rush. I miss competing. And of course, I want to share what I have learned to others. I’ve learned so much in karate, I want to pass the knowledge on,” shared the Communication Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas. And Gretchen may very well be an effective sensei. Some of her wards have already won medals in different local tournaments and has also produced medalists in competitions abroad. “It’s very rewarding on my part. I was once in their shoes and I can see how much they want to excel in the sport. I’m so proud of them.” From making the news to bringing the news, Gretchen Malalad has certainly put the discipline and dedication being a karateka instilled in her to good use. It would come as no surprise if one day, we see her conquering new heights, after all, she says, “as long as you put your heart and mind into it, anything is possible.”

oracay’s Bulabog beach was transformed into a playground when kiteboarders from all over Asia trooped to this beach island for the Philippine leg of the first-ever Kiteboard Tour Asia (KTA). Organized by Hangin Kite Center and the Philippine Windsurfing Association and supported by the Department of Tourism and the Philippine Sports Commission, the tourney gathered 59 racers from 22 countries. According to event organizer Manny Cabili of the PWA, the country’s hosting of the tournament recognized Boracay as a kiteboarding haven in Asia. He said that Boracay is the country’s pioneer kitesurfing site and preferred by enthusiasts because of its world-class equipment and training programs, ideal winds, and clear waters. He said that the popular beach island is a year-round destination for the sport, even during the “habagat” or southwest monsoon where kiteboarders frolic on the famed kilometers-long white beach. In between riding the “amihan” wind were sumptuous dinners hosted by the Province of Aklan and the Municipality of Malay, and bar hops at Juice Bar, Hey Jude and Summer Place which

SUSI MAE

made the sporting event a fun experience. The event was also backed by the Boracay Kite Resort, Boracay Windsports Association, Rudy Project, Stoked Inc., Seair, Boracay Beach Resort, Cabrinha and North Kiteboarding, Ion Essentials, Blood Red, and ANC. Europeans dominated the four-day tilt in both the men’s and women’s divisions. Asians displayed their mettle as they ruled the men’s course racing with Turkish Taner Aykurt, Lithuanian Deivis Maciulis and Thai Narapichit “Yo” Pudla capturing the top posts. Local favorites Lizel Tio settled for second place in the women’s speed category, while Ken Nacor and Duque delos Santos made the top ten of the overall standings. Adding the glitter to the event was three-time Red Bull “Queen of the Air” Susi Mai of Germany, who graced the event and led an all-ladies kitesurfing clinic. Considered the world’s third largest kiteboard tour, KTA has also toured China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Thailand to help Asianbased competitors to be at par with the world’s best. FOR DETAILS, VISIT WWW.KITEBOARDTOUR.ASIA. << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

By LITO CINCO

here is no doubt that triathlon is indeed the fastest-growing sport in the world today. And the Philippines is not behind with the record turnout of participants in the 2010 SuperTriKids MultiSports Festival held at the Narra Park inside Ayala Alabang Village in Muntinlupa last month. A project of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) headed by Tom Carrasco Jr. and held in partnership with the Ayala Alabang Village Association, this developmental program has been steadily growing with former national triathlon champion Ani de Leon and TRAP’s Rick Reyes supervising the event. “We are certainly happy with the turnout for this event as it clearly

50 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

shows the gains made by triathlon in attracting more and more young kids to get into the sport and we are citing the pioneering effort of Ricky Ledesma and Lito Fugoso, who started the Fit & Tri youth triathlon program five years ago from where Super Tri Kids emerged,” Carrasco noted. That Sunday morning, it looked like all roads led to the Narra Park as the kids came with complete team support – their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, brothers, sisters and even their “yayas.” In fact, during the actual race, these supporters became coaches, pacers, cheerleaders, and waterboys or watergirls and were more excited than the kids.

Kids as young as four years old, with Keira Ellis given special recognition for being the youngest participant, were present with the race distances differing depending on the age category of the participants, who competed either in triathlon or aquathlon. The top finishers received specially-designed medals from Speedo’s EDO’s Ad & Promo Officer Edelyn Yanalla and Citibank Marketing Manager Rio Mayuga, assisted by de Leon and Reyes. “We had around 200 kiddie competitors, majority of whom were first timers in triathlon,” Carrasco added. For the record, winners in the aquathlon were Juliana Bianca Almarinez in the girls’ under 6, Julius Ralph Osias and Angelina

Powell (7 to 8 years), Juan Miguel Turiana and Katyana Marie Luneta (9-10), Lance Vincent Plaza and Samantaha Cyrine Ibe (11-12), Edward Macaladi and Stephanie Agnes Manalo (13-15) and Davide Anese and Lynn Wen Ong (adult adivision). Top finishers in the triathlon were Ganden Po and Cassandra Parco (under 6), Juan Emanuel Samudio and Enya Zibell (9-10), Hamish Roldan Seddon and Aisya Farisha Farid (11-12), Elbert Gene Paguia and Aina Farhana Farid (13-15) and Elbert Paguia and Enriquez Chin (adult). The event was sponsored by Speedo, Citibank, David’s Salon, Sunkist, and Vitwater.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

DASH’NDRIBBLE MA. KRISTINA MARALIT

have never been good with goodbyes. The mere thought of parting from someone, may it be a friend, colleague, lover or family member – makes my eyes water. Heck, even scenes from the movies or a Koreanovela can make me bawl. And so, before my tears blur my vision and make my mind go blank, allow me to pay tribute to the person who took me under his wings and helped make me the person I am today. To my Bossing, my Kamahalan -- sir Wilfredo “Willie” Caballes, you would always tell me that once you feel it’s the right time, you will entrust Sports Digest to me and I would always “reject” your “offer”. I would always say that once you leave the Manila Bulletin, I’m handing in my resignation for you are the biggest reason why I’m around.

52 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

But you have your way of pulling off “surprises”. You made it a point that I will not be going anywhere, that I will be taking care of your “baby” for as long as I can. You believed in me more than I believed in myself. You were more than just my mentor, editor, and critic – you have been my father-figure and above all, you became one of my most trusted friends. I promise to not be a disappointment to you. Eating halo-halo, pan de sal with liver spread, bacon with egg sandwiches, banana cue, and Spanish sardines will never be the same. Meryenda has been our way of bonding without thinking of deadlines and other stressful things at work. It’s also where I can share with you things I couldn’t even tell my own parents and friends.

The newsroom will never be the same without your usual “Hi, fans!” greeting as you walk in. Parties will not be as fun without you shouting “Raffle na!” as you help yourself to a shot of Carlos I or Johnnie Walker Black. You were a big guy with an even bigger heart. Sadly, it was also what caused you to leave all of us. Sir WilCab, I’m not good in bidding farewell. Allow me to just say “See you later” and “Until our next presswork”. Words are not enough to express my gratitude to you for guiding and fighting for me, and to your family for unselfishly sharing you with us in the sportswriting fraternity. You will be sorely missed. Hanggang sa muling pagkikita at pagkukulitan, Bossing.

PIT&PODIUM JESUS ERLE SEBASTIAN

JORGE LORENZO

54 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

friend swore he would stop watching Formula One after the first near processional race under the new no refuelling rule. He wasn’t a Ferrari fan, obviously. Fernando Alonso led Felipe Massa to a Ferrari onetwo finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix in what many considered a boring race, with many believing the win was a gift from Red Bull. Another friend lost his enthusiasm for the 2010 season even after a more action-packed Australian Grand Prix won by 2009 champion Jenson Button, now driving for McLaren. Still another claims to have forgotten there was a race in Malaysia a week after the race in Melbourne. This one was won by Sebastian Vettel, leading a Red Bull one-two finish. All three think the new regulations, especially the no refuelling rule, robbed Formula One of excitement, with fewer overtaking and less room for maneuvering, tactics-wise that is. And all are thanking the gods of motorsports for Moto GP racing which began this month with the Commercialbank Grand Prix of Quatar. The race held under floodlights at the Losail International was all that F1 racing is no longer. There were more overtaking done on the first lap of the 22-lap race than in an entire F1 race these days, they said. More thrills and a few spills to add more spice to the racing. They now say Moto GP is more fun to watch than F1. For one, it’s shorter. Not like the more than 50 laps of watching F1 cars go round and round like a carousel. Much of F1 races these days are decided during qualifying with the most excitement coming during the run to the first one, two or at most, three corners before becoming a parade. The Moto GP race at Qatar had a number of lead changes during the first lap. Over the course of the race, the top four or five places interchanged among several riders. Casey Stoner of Ducati started from pole but lost out on the hole shot to three other riders. After some dicing and slicing among the riders, Stoner grabbed the lead. But on lap five, Stoner crashed out of the race. Valentino Rossi of Fiat Yamaha led some laps, Andrea Davizioso of Repsol Honda led a couple of corners. After a lot of lead and position changes for much of the race, the podium finish of the Qatar Grand Prix was decided at the last few corners with the last step decided on the last dash on the straight heading to the finish line. Valentino Rossi won the race, leading a Fiat Yamaha onetwo with teammate Jorge Lorenzo getting into the picture during the last two laps and overtaking two others for P2 in the last two corners of the last lap. The battle for third place between Ducati’s Nicky Hayden and Davizioso was decided by thousandths of a second in favor of the Respol Honda rider. Our three former F1 fans say they can’t wait for the second round of the Moto GP season, the Japan Grand Prix last April 25 at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.

VALENTINO ROSSI

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

Unsto

ppabl

e is D

r. Pee

wee M

endio

la.

By BINGBANG DULCE

here is no stopping Dr. Peewee Mendiola as he zoomed into the Overall and Production best time for the second straight time in the recent second leg of the RMSC National Slalom Grand Prix. Dubbed the “Racing Doctor,” Mendiola clocked 55.03 seconds at the Robinsons Nova Market parking lot to stretch his run, BEATING Noel Rivera of Big Chill for the top honor. Rivera settled for second with his 55.14 seconds effort while Niño Sarte of DKC/T Factory (55.69), Mikko Briones of Cabanatuan Auto Club (55.80) and Nok Gerochi (56.03) placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively. Sarte emerged as the best in the Front Wheel category while

Jerwin Joson of Cabanatuan Auto Club clocked 57.21 seconds to bag the Novice category. The third leg of the series, supported by Federal Tyres, Shell Helix Motor Oils, Outlast Battery, Silverwind Magwheels, Fuji Film, Starbright Bodykits, Wave 89.1, Tripnotic Lab Creative Media Experiments, Forsc Ink Mobile System, Stop Light TV, C Magazine, Wheel to Wheel Magazine, Chequered Flag Magazine, Auto Transporter and Robinsons Nova Market, will be held on April 18 at the Robinsons Starmills in Pampanga. For more details , log on to www.racemotorsports.com or send e-mail to racemotorsportsclub@yahoo.com.

Fifth placer Nok Gerochi.

Top Novice driver Jerwin Joson in action.

56 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

Lito Dulce of Pong’s Racing Team.

Noel Rivera: Bridesmaid again.

Fourth placer Mikko Briones (left) takes a break with Jerwin Joson.

Fifth placer Nok Gerochi.

The DKC-T Factory Team

Lady driver Kristine Hernaez.

THE 2ND LEG RESULTS:

NOVICE STOCK – 1. Martin Sanchez 65.38 2. Ian Santos 68.17 3. Geoffrey Ballesteros 69.39 NOVICE MODIFIED A – 1. Jeffbeck Benito 60.62 2. Jeffrey Menguito 61.43 3. Franz Varron 63.15 4. Bernard dela Cruz 70.19 NOVICE MODIFIED B – 1. Jerwin Joson 57.21 2. Dean Joson 58.08 3. JR Gerochi 59.26 4. Syke Cruz 63.03 5. Dwight Kevin Carlos 63.32 6. Hans Christopher Melosantos 64.79 NOVICE MODIFIED C – 1. Dean Joson 58.07 2. Dwight Kevin Carlos 61.45 3. Walter Zamora 65.16 4. Mike Simbulan 67.38 Pro Stock A – 1. Dr. Peewee Mendiola 56.67 2. Mike Simbulan 66.07 3. Dennis San Pedro 90.16 Pro Stock B – 1. Noel Rivera 55.14 2. Dr. Peewee Mendiola 55.46 3. Arnel Carlos 61.26 Pro Stock C – 1. Dr. Peewee Mendiola 55.03 2. Noel Rivera 57.33 3. Arnel Carlos 60.62 Group 2A – 1. Patrick Bautista 60.53 2. Martin Sanchez 65.54 3. Polo Bautista 78.19 Group 2B – 1. Patrick Bautista 58.94 2. Walter Zamora 65.65 3. Jun Menguito 68.30 Pro A – 1. Dr. Peewee Mendiola 55.58 2. Noel Rivera 56.07 3. Banny Vargas 74.33 Pro B – 1. Noel Rivera 55.31 2. Dr. Peewee Mendiola 55.41 3. Boodie Dabasol 58.06 4. Walter Zamora 65.01 Pro C – 1. Boodie Dabasol 57.24 2. Dax Santiano 57.69 3. Dennis San Pedro 72.55 Group 5A – 1. Donbert Bumatay 59.28 2. Gio Aguirre 67.20 3. Arnel Carlos 67.36 Group 5B – 1. Boodie Dabasol 56.25 2. Arnel Carlos 61.40 3. Donbert Bumatay 61.41 4. Jun Menguito 68.10 Front Wheel Injected-Novice – 1. Jeffbeck Benito 59.37 2. Marcus

Timbol 62.12 3. Philip Velasco 67.32 Front Wheel Injected – 1. Marcus Timbol 61.67 2. Angelo Cruz 69.65 3. CJ Ramos 77.67 Front Wheel Modified-Novice – 1. Jerwin Joson 58.13 2. Dwight Kevin Carlos 59.52 3. Jeffbeck Benito 61.56 4. Paker Cruz 65.32 5. Gio Aguirre 68.35 Front Wheel Modified – 1. Mikko Briones 56.95 2. Emerson Ocampo 57.19 3. Nino Sarte 57.34 4. Dennis San Pedro 60.73 Front Wheel Caburated-Novice – 1. Roland Cabatu 66.01 2. Geoffrey Ballesteros 68.46 3. Cyril Tablan 69.03 Front Wheel Caburated – 1. Roland Cabatu 65.16 2. Patrick Sison 68.24 3. Cyril Tablan 69.12 Front Wheel Pro Stock A – 1. Nino Sarte 55.69 2. Dwight Kevin Carlos 59.94 3. Jeffbeck Benito 60.05 4. Angelo Cruz 65.16 Front Wheel Pro Stock B – 1. Mikko Briones 55.80 2. Nino Sarte 56..47 3. Emerson Ocampo 57.05 4. Dax Santiano 57.84 Front Wheel Pro Stock C – 1. Mikko Briones 56.69 2. Emerson Ocampo 57.04 3. Dax Santiano 57.33 4. Donbert Bumatay 61.03 Open A – 1. Nok Gerochi 56.03 2. DJ de Guzman 57.77 3. Jojo Camacho 62.50 Open B – 1. Boodie Dabasol 57.02 2. Dean Joson 57.61 3. DJ de Guzman 58.25 4. Jojo Camacho 58.49 5. Nok Gerochi 58.57 6. Syke Cruz 61.44 Open C – 1. Dean Joson 57.16 2. DJ de Guzman 57.61 3. Nok Gerochi 57.71 4. Boodie Dabasol 58.29 5. Patrick Bautista 58.67 6. Jojo Camacho 60.59 7. Mar Gavina 70.65 8. Adrian Ong 75.92 Newbies – 1. Syke Cruz 60.53 2. Franz Varron 61.46 3. Paker Cruz 64.56 4. Hans Christian Melosantos 65.00 5. Iori Richard Suzuki 66.18 6. Walter Zamora 66.65 7. Mark Arce 68.61 8. Bernard dela Cruz 77.69 9. Ric Fernando 78.88 Ladies – 1. Kristine Hernaez 66.50. << MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

By: CHRISTOPHER CASTRO

S THE OLD ADAGE GOES, “BEHIND EVERY SUCCESSFUL MAN IS A WOMAN”. THIS ALSO HOLDS TRUE TO THE BUDDING KARTING SUPERSTARS AND THE WOMEN WHO ARE LARGELY THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THEIR SUCCESS ON THE TRACK – THEIR MOTHERS. TO NURTURE A CHAMPION ATHLETE IS A TEDIOUS TASK. BUT TO NURTURE A CHAMPION RACER IS EVEN NERVEWRACKING. MOTORSPORTS IS A DANGEROUS SPORT THAT REQUIRES EXCEPTIONAL SKILLS AND SAFETY MEASURES. BUT HOW DO THEIR MOTHERS COPE UP WITH THE PRESSURES, TENSIONS AND HEART-PUMPING MOMENTS WATCHING THEIR KIDS IN EVERY RACE? WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO RAISE A RACING CHAMP? FIVE MOTHERS SHARE THEIR INSIGHTS ON RAISING A CHAMPION RACER, THE PRESSURES THEY WENT THROUGH, AND HOW PROUD THEY ARE OF THEIR SONS.

JING TORALBA ON HER SON, JUHA (2008 ASIAN KARTING OPEN ROK CHAMPION AND THE 2009 GOLDEN WHEEL INTERNATIONAL DRIVER OF THE YEAR): “Juha started his karting career at the age of 9. Before that, he was like any other boy who tried all kinds of sports. And just like any devoted mother, I was there never tiring, taking him to all those lessons in baseball, football, swimming, golf, rock-climbing, and horseback riding allowing total exhaustion of his energies. Being there at every lesson and practice, I proudly call myself a “stage mom.” My role is simply to support him in what he wants out of his life. Until this day, as he towers above me, I continue to shower my son with tight hugs, kisses, back stroking and most of all listening. I trust that Juha knows what he wants and will push himself to his very best, never settling for a compromise in his races as well as his life. Indeed, I am thankful for the blessing and honored with the opportunity to nurture a true Champion. I say, every mom should allow the inner champion of her child to blossom.”

58 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

JOYCE POLLINGTON ON HER SON CARL (2009 CADET KARTER OF THE YEAR): “Before every race starts, Carl would always ask me for a kiss as lucky charm and he would tell people “My mom is my lucky charm”. I’m not only a stage mom during the race but also his loudest cheerleader. Embarassing as it may be, I can’t help but scream everytime my son passes another karter as my scream gets louder when he takes the lead. I really don’t mind people staring at me, but I shout with gusto and my scream can really be heard in the four corners of the 1.2 kilometer track.”

NUTRITION WANT TO MUNCH ON TUMMY-FILLING MEALS BUT DON’T WANT TO PACK IN THE UNWANTED CALORIES AND FAT AND ARE EASY TO PREPARE? ELIRY SINGH, A HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT GRADUATE WHO CURRENTLY WORKS AS A MEDICAL RELATIONS ASSISTANT FOR A TOP FIRM IN MAKATI, IS A TYPICAL OFFICE DWELLER WHO IS ALWAYS ON THE GO. HERE, SHE SHARES A COUPLE OF RECIPES THAT WILL SURELY SATISFY THE TASTE BUDS NOT JUST OF THE FIGURE-CONSCIOUS HEALTH BUFFS, BUT ALSO THE BUSY BODIES WHO RARELY HAS TIME TO SPARE TO INSIDE THE KITCHEN.

SALAD BEATRICE

INGREDIENTS:

1 boneless and skinless cooked chicken breast, Worcestershire sauce, 1 bunch fresh asparagus (cooked), 2 medium-sized (potatoes, cooked in skins), 1/3 cup mayonnaise, Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURES:

Cut the chicken breast into strips. Peel potatoes and dice. Cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Combine chicken breast, potatoes, and asparagus into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add mayonnaise and mix well. Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and mix again. 5. Serve on lettuce leaves (if desired). (You can also try to scoop some servings into tomato “bowls”) 1. 2. 3. 4.

60 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

THIS RECIPE HAS: 276 calories 15 grams of fat 2.7 grams of fiber 17 grams of protein

FETTUCCINE CARBONARA

INGREDIENTS:

Chopped fresh parsley, 2 cloves garlic, chopped, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup cheddar cheese (grated), Fettuccine, cooked al dente, 5 slices of bacon, cut into strips, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 2/3 cup parmesan cheese, Â˝ cup dry white wine

THIS RECIPE HAS: 351 calories 14 grams of fat 36 grams of carbohydrates 15 grams of protein

PROCEDURES:

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic and bacon. Add dry white wine and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside. In a bowl, place eggs and whisk. And pepper, parmesan and cheddar cheeses. Mix well. 5. Pour mixture over cooked fettuccine and mix well. Season with pepper. 6. Add the garlic and bacon mixture. Mix well. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. 1. 2. 3. 4.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

By RONI CARYN RABIN New York Times Illustration by Eugene Cubillo

CANCER SURGERY IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES People with diabetes are at increased risk for developing some cancers and are more likely than nondiabetics to die of cancer. Now a study reports that they also have a higher risk of dying in the weeks just after cancer surgery. The analysis of 15 earlier studies encompassed about 60,000 patients, both with and without diabetes, who underwent surgery for cancers

62 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

of the colon, esophagus, liver, lung, stomach, pancreas and prostate. It found that the patients with pre-existing diabetes were 50 percent more likely than nondiabetic patients to die within a month of surgery, regardless of the type of cancer. The patients in the studies had both types of diabetes, though Type 2 is more common.Their higher death rate may have resulted from problems associated with the chronic illness, like a greater risk of infections and heart disease, said HsinChieh Yeh, assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and an author of the

paper, published in the April issue of Diabetes Care. “The implication of this is that diabetes care is important on top of the cancer care,” Yeh said. “When patients are diagnosed with cancer, the patient and the family and the physician think, ‘This is serious -- we have to take care of the cancer part first.’ And sometimes they forget about the diabetes they have.”

SHARP RISE IN COMPLEX BACK SURGERY The percentage of older adults undergoing a complicated fusion procedure for the painful lower-back condition called spinal stenosis has increased steeply, rising fifteenfold from 2002 to 2007, a new study reports. Researchers said the increase was leading to higher Medicare costs and more life-threatening complications. They noted that although the overall rate of all types of surgery for spinal stenosis fell slightly during the five-year period, the proportion undergoing complex fusion increased to 19.9 per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries, up from 1.3. In the complex surgery, more

than three vertebrae are fused and both the back and the front of the vertebrae are involved. Alternative procedures are decompression -- removal of part of the bone pressing on the nerve -- and simple fusion, in which two or three vertebrae are fused and only the front or the back of the vertebrae is involved.The complex procedure costs almost four times as much as decompression and is associated with three times the rate of life-threatening complications, according to the study. Earlier studies have not found that the complex surgery leads to better results or greater pain relief, said Dr. Richard A. Deyo, a professor of family and internal medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland and the lead author of the study, published April 7 in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

MORE HEALTH CARE WORKERS GOT FLU SHOTS Flu shots are recommended for all health care providers, but fewer than half get vaccinated in a typical flu season. This season was different: by mid-January, 62 percent of health care workers had received a seasonal flu shot, though only

37 percent had been vaccinated against the H1N1 swine flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting. Only 34.7 percent of health care providers reported receiving both vaccines, according to a study in the April 2 issue of the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The figures were derived from an online study of a nationally representative group of 1,417 health care providers, and was conducted by the CDC and RAND Corp. People working in hospitals were more likely to have been vaccinated than those working in outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities or other settings, the report found, with 71 percent of hospital workers having received the seasonal flu vaccine and half getting the H1N1 vaccine; of those working in longterm-care facilities, 54 percent got the seasonal flu shot and only 20 percent the swine flu vaccine. More than 80 percent of those questioned thought the seasonal flu shots were safe, but only 66 percent said the H1N1 vaccine was. Those who were not vaccinated gave as their main reasons that they “don’t need it,” or “may experience side effects,” the report said.

<< MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST

TENNISLIFE BUNNY PINEDA

ENSURING CONSISTENCY

here are 3 c’s in tennis and these are consistency, control and coverage. Nobody loses out of power and this is why I am so surprised why so many of today’s youngsters put too much concern on hitting the ball as hard as they can, sending the balls all over the place void of any recognizable rally. The most important things are to be able to send the balls in, be able to take them where you want to in order to construct a point and to be able to get to your opponent’s shot to be able to execute the first 2 things properly. In this week’s installment of Tennislife, we are going to discuss some of the things that can cause inconsistence and how to remedy them. 1. Before we talk about the player, let us discuss something that is of most importance: equipment. Tennis, like all other racket sports, has one very simple rule. The ball will always go where the face of the racket is facing at the point of contact. If your racket shakes, wobbles or vibrates at ball contact, then it is either not made of solid material or the racket is too flexible that it bends backwards at contact or both. If your racket is too light, flexible or not made of solid material, then the ball will bounce

64 MANILA BULLETIN SPORTS DIGEST >>

all over the place because your racket is close to useless and simply won’t be able to handle a tennis ball. Most players try to look for light rackets. But I will be very blunt in saying that anything less than 285 grams is useless. You might as well use a non-standard sponge ball. 2. If your racket is OK, then you must check on the stability of your wrist at contact. If the racket can handle the weight of the incoming ball, the next structure in line that will answer for the stability of the racket face is your wrist. Your wrist should be able to keep itself steady at ball impact and the only way to do this is by making sure that you meet the ball with your entire body behind your wrist. 3. We will proceed to number 3 because it is directly related to number 2. You will be in the best position to keep your wrist steady if you are able to meet the ball in front of the center of your weight, ideally in line with your lead foot. For a right-handed forehand, that would be the left foot and vice versa. 4. I always say that consistency is not a skill but a matter of choice. It is about making all the movements necessary in ensuring that you will be able to set yourself up in the right place and position to do numbers 2 and 3.

5. Next is the swing. Gravity starts pulling the ball downward as soon as it leaves your racket. No matter how hard you swing, there can never be a straight ball path. Hitting straight means sending the ball on a downward path. Even when the ball is above shoulder height, the stroke should still be slightly upward. Well, actually, it should be a combination of the forward and upward movement of the racket. The player should always be aware of this fact and be in a constant lookout for the right blend of the combination. In the photo below, you will see Kim Clijster hitting a high ball with a slightly upward forehand swing. 6. Consistency is always intended. Being consistent means that you have to tone down on sideline and baseline. You have to resist the temptation of trying to hit the lines. It is always a matter of choice. You can choose to be aggressive or cautious. This two attributes have their own right place in every game, set and match. But if it is time to be cautious, then keep all balls fairly within two meters off the center of the court. 7. In the consistency game, each impossibility has to be conquered one at a time. You can only say that you can last a 100-ball rally if you are able to do that in actuality. You have to spend some sessions in going back to the basics and count the balls. The only way to master consistency is by devoting sessions in sending one ball after another, hundreds of times, over the net without fail. The next time you play a set, try to see how consistent you are. Even if you have a chance to end the point, keep it in play and test yourself. See how far you can take the rally. Whenever you win a long rally, you build up your confidence and create doubts in the mind of your opponent.