PH men's curling team set for Manila arrival after gold medal win in Asian Winter Games

The Philippine men's national curling team is set to arrive Saturday night in Manila after its successful run in the 2025 Asian Winter Games.

The Curling Pilipinas men's team, composed of Marc Angelo Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Pfister, Christian Patrick Haller, Alan Beat Frei, and Curling Winter Sports Association of the Philippines president Benjo Delarmente, on Friday won the country's first gold medal in any edition of the Asian Winter Games after defeating South Korea in the gold medal match, 5-3.

In a statement, the Philippine Sports Commission said the team is expected to arrive in Manila by 10:30 p.m. where they will be welcomed by PSC chair Richard Bachmann, Commissioner Bong Coo, and Executive Director Paulo Francisco Tatad at the NAIA Terminal 1.

The PSC also praised the team for its historic feat.

"The historic victory of the country in the Men’s Curling marks a significant milestone in the growing dynamics of Philippine sports,” Bachmann said.

"We strongly believe that this achievement is just the beginning of our historic rise on ice for the Philippines. Our remarkable performance at the Asian Winter Games lays the foundation for the greater challenge of achieving Winter Olympic and World-level success in the years to come."

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino, meanwhile, shared his pride in being Southeast Asia's best in the Asian Winter Games.

“We are so proud of this milestone, and I would like to thank our fellow Southeast Asian nations as well for congratulating us –Filipinos – for winning the first ever gold of Southeast Asia in the winter games,” said Tolentino.

Southeast Asia bagged its first medal from the Asian Winter Games last February 11 with Thailand getting the bronze in men's freeski slopestyle from Paul Henri Vieuxtemps. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News