The Philippines curling team has been rocking it in Harbin, claiming the tropical country’s first Asian Winter Games medal with a victory in Friday’s men’s final against South Korea. The team of Marc Angelo Pfister, Alan Beat Frei, Christian Patrick Haller, Enrico Gabriel Pfister and alternate Benjo Delarmente took gold with a 5-3 win at Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena. The Philippines Olympic Committee was quick to celebrate with a post on Instagram to mark the historic gold.
“This is the first-ever medal for the Philippines at the Asian Winter Games, and the highest achievement for a Southeast Asian athlete in the Games’ history! What an incredible accomplishment!” the post said. “You’ve made the entire country so proud!”. The Philippines was accepted a member association of the World Curling Federation in September, 2023 — along with Pakistan and Puerto Rico — and started a bid to qualify for the 2026 Olympics.
