Asian Winter Games: PH men’s curling team wins historic gold

Philippines’ team members celebrate after winning the men’s gold medal game between Philippines and South Korea during the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province on February 14, 2025. (Photo by Jade Gao / AFP)

HARBIN, China—Marc Pfister didn’t come all the way from Bern, Switzerland just to grab any medal of lesser value at the 9th Asian Winter Games.

The Filipino-Swiss skip accomplished that mission as the PH men’s curling team seized a historic gold medal for the country over highly favored South Korea, 5-3, on Friday at the Pingfang Curling Arena.

“We were going for a medal. But not just any other medal. We want the gold, we want to become champions and we did it,’’ said Pfister.

READ: Asian Winter Games: PH curlers still in strong medal contention

Vice skip Christian Haller and Enrico Pfister went euphoric with Alan Frei as soon as South Korean skip Lee Jaebeom saw his final stone careen off their intended target on the last end.

That miscalculated drive automatically triggered the celebration among Filipino sports officials, coaches and athletes from other sports that witnessed history unfolding from the stands.

Philippines’ Christian Haller (L) and Enrico Pfister compete in the men’s gold medal game between Philippines and South Korea during the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games in Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang province on February 14, 2025. (Photo by Jade Gao / AFP)

The Koreans, the tournament favorites with vice skip Kim Hyojun and lead Pyo Jeongmin backing up Lee, never wavered by keeping the Filipino curlers on their toes throughout.

Guided by Kim Hyojun and second Kim Eunbin, Lee’s throw on the sixth end equalized the match one last time before Pfister led their calculated assault in the seventh end that broke the ice.

READ: PH Curlers–the sporting kind–rock Asian Winter Games with huge upset

They tripped Japan, 10-4, during the knockout qualification and edged host China, 7-6, in the semifinal on Thursday night prior to setting up the golden duel with the Korean.

The Filipinos immediately gained ground at the start after four ends, 3-1, before the Koreans stormed back with a pair of singles in the next two ends that leveled the count.

“It was really hard, but we put in a lot of heart,’’ said Pfister, who represented his mother’s nation after playing for Team Switzerland in the world and European championships.

Alternate Benjo Delarmente joined the team during the awarding ceremony where the Philippine was raised and the national anthem played for the first time in these Games.

The first winter games medal for the Philippines got more exhilarating after they won it all as a prelude to another possible breakthrough in the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy exactly a year from now.

“This is a great achievement that opens the door for our country’s first Winter Olympics medal,’’ said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol’’ Tolentino.

The golden finish, which wiped out the medal misses in mixed doubles featuring Pfister and Kathleen Dubberstein and the women’s squad, is likewise the first top podium performance for a Southeast Asian nation in any winter games.