The Philippine men’s national curling team will receive a hero’s welcome on Saturday night after their historic gold medal victory at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China. They defeated South Korea 5-3 in the final, securing the Philippines’ first-ever gold in the Games. Despite losing to the same team in the group stage, the Filipinos bounced back with a strategic win, leading 3-1 at halftime and maintaining their edge until the end.

The team, based and trained in Bern, Switzerland, is composed of skipper Marc Angelo Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Pfister, Christian Patrick Haller, and Alan Beat Frei, supported by team officials Jessica Sarah Pfister and Miguel Gutierrez, and Curling Winter Sports Association of the Philippines president Benjo Delarmente. Chef de mission Richard Lim, his deputy Paolo Tancontian, and Curling Pilipinas secretary general Jarryd Bello will also be present. They are expected to arrive at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 around 10:30 p.m.

This historic win sets the stage for the team’s participation in the Pan-Continental Curling Championships Division A in November, aiming for a World Cup berth, as well as two prequalifying tournaments for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Philippine Sports Commission Chair Richard Bachmann hailed the victory as a milestone for Philippine sports, laying the groundwork for future success at the Winter Olympics and world-level competitions.

The gold medal win placed the Philippines in a tie for fifth place with Uzbekistan in the medal tally. As of the latest count, host China leads with 32 golds, followed by South Korea, Japan, and Kazakhstan.