Cebu Sports Blog by John Pages

In New York, two doctors make Cebu proud

(From left) Dr. Yong Larrazabal, Donna Larrazabal, Sophia Mancao, Dr. Peter Mancao

“NEVER AGAIN!”

Those were the exact two words first uttered by Dr. Peter Mancao when I called him in New York yesterday at 7:40 p.m. (NYC time)—just four hours after he had finished running last Sunday’s 42.195-km. race called the ING New York City Marathon.

Then, he laughed. “Never again?” I checked if he was serious. “Dili na ko mo usab,” he answered. “Sakto na to!” Then again, he laughed. Joking or not, this he added in all seriousness: “It was an unbelievable experience. Painful, very painful… but really, really worth it. It was also very humbling. But the crowd, grabe… murag Sinulog!”

More NYC photos

From Cerrone Dayo, here are a couple of photos taken at last year’s NYC Marathon…

Sen. Pia Cayetano (center) with Cerrone (2nd from left) and Lence Dayo (right most)

New York City Marathon Pictures

Cerrone and Lence Dayo, Filipinos now living in the “Big Apple,” sent me these amazing photos after watching the New York City Marathon and the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials today and yesterday. Great pictures! Recognize the first photo below?

No need to spell his name… it’s on his shirt

‘Live’ New York Update from Dr. Mancao…

Dr. Peter Mancao, who’s now in America to run the New York City Marathon, just sent me an e-mail (Sunday dawn, RP time) with the following update: Hi john! greetings from new york new york!!! we just came from the U.N. where we watched the start of the continental airlines friendship run. it was awesome with the different international participants some in their native country costumes/colors.

Martina Hingis: Believe her or not?

She doped. Snorted cocaine. In the middle of Wimbledon last June, the 27-year-old Swiss Miss was routinely tested for drugs—like all athletes are—and, when the Sample “A” result came back, she was told, point-blank: You tested positive.

“Throughout my career, I have always been open and honest with you,” said Martina Hingis in a press conference three days ago. “I find this accusation so horrendous, so monstrous… My weapon on the tennis court is and always was one single thing: the game, the ingenuity on court. And for this style of tennis, there is only one performance enhancer – the love of the game.”

So, did Hingis do drugs?

As I said, you never know. But maybe she did. You see, cocaine isn’t like steroids. No, I’ve never taken it—and never will—but based on what I’ve researched, cocaine “increases self-confidence and creates a type of euphoria” while steroids, well, we know, builds muscles as big as, say, Barry Bonds.

‘White Christmas’ in Manila

Did you know that in our country’s capital city, it snows? Yes. Just like in those Christmas movies or, if you’ve been to Boston or Berlin in February, a place where it’s, like the song… White Christmas? I’m not kidding. I saw it, felt it, smelled the white flakes, and slipped on slippery ice. It’s called the SM Mall of Asia.

Three weeks ago, my wife Jasmin and I brought our eight-year-old daughter Jana to Manila. Right after landing, we wasted no time in hailing a cab and zooming straight to the sixth largest mall in the world. Snow? Inside? For real? Yes. It’s called the Ice Skating Rink. And ever since we brought Jana there last year, she’s been pleading to go back. And so we did.

Dr. Yong Larrazabal eyes the NYC Marathon

Dr. Yong (center) with John Pages (left) and Dr. Peter Mancao at the Adidas Run early this year

With five days left before the world’s biggest 42-K race—the New York City Marathon—one of the 40,000-plus runners is still here in Cebu, busy at work.

Dr. Potenciano Sto. Domingo Larrazabal III, or “Yong,” has to fulfill his promised appointments with patients and his full load of surgeries.

“I have work today and tomorrow,” he told me last Sunday after we ran the “Pink October” race. “On Nov. 1, I’m leaving for New York with my wife Donna. We’ll take Cathay Pacific, pass through Hong Kong, then L.A. for a short stop, until we land at JFK Airport.”

Federer Express Flies

Roger Federer is the year-end world no.1 for four straight years. With his win at the Swiss Indoors, he joins the rare company of Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl as the only male players to end the year ranked No. 1 four or more times since the ATP rankings started in 1973.

“It’s always emotional at the end,” said Federer. “I remember being here as a ball boy myself. I know 50 percent of the people working at the tournament. It’s nice to win again and go into the next year as No. 1 again.”

New York, New York!

Dr. Peter Mancao runs. From his clinic at the Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital to his patients‘ rooms to the Operating Room where he presides as one of the top cardiovascular surgeons—he’s always on his feet, on the go.

But exactly seven days from today—on Nov. 4—Dr. Mancao will engage in a different run. Yes, he’ll do the same hop, skip and sprint, but this time, not wearing a surgical mask or doctor’s gown. Next Sunday, he’ll wear a pair of Asics running shoes and will sweat beside 40,000 others to run the world’s largest 42-K race: The New York City Marathon.