In a stunning turn of events at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, the Philippine men’s curling team delivered successive jaw-dropping upsets, defeating powerhouse Japan in the semifinal qualifiers and the host nation, China, in the semifinals.
With the twin victories, the newly-formed team has secured at least a silver medal—the first ever for the Philippines in this prestigious quadrennial competition.
The Filipinos triumphed over Japan with a commanding 10-4 score, eliminating the Asian curling giant from the medal rounds for the first time since the Asian Winter Games’ inception in Sapporo in 1986. The Philippines, which first participated in the AWG in 1990, has now made its mark in curling history.
In the semifinals, the Philippines edged out China in a nail-biting 7-6 win, propelling them into the finals.
The Philippine team will face South Korea in a dramatic Championship match, set to take place early Friday just before the 2025 Asian Winter Games concludes on Valentine’s Day. Their only loss in the qualification round was a 1-6 defeat to South Korea.
The Filipino curling squad includes brothers Marc and Enrico Pfister, Benjo Delarmente, Christian Haller, and Alan Frei.
Curling Pilipinas, the national curling federation, was only established in 2023, sending 10 curlers to compete in all three events: mixed doubles, men’s, and women’s teams.
Curling, an Olympic and Paralympic winter sport, is a team event where opposing sides take turns sliding granite stones toward a target called a House, requiring precision, strategy, and teamwork.
