POC seeks funding for curling after historic Asian Winter Games gold feat

The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is hoping to get more financial support for the country's men's curling team following its historic golden run at the Asian Winter Games last week.

POC president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said he will try to request funding from the President in bid to support the squad's journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics set to be hosted by Italy.

"You did not ask how they survived without the support of the government? They were just recognized by the POC recently. If we meet the President, we will make a [funding] request to support their journey to the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino bared that the athletes are personally shouldering their expenses as of now, which makes potential financial aid from the government more crucial moving forward.

“They are paying their own expenses every time, and it’s not a joke. So we really need that financial support to sustain and we’re preparing for all the competitions, even the developmental stage,” Tolentino added.

The men's curling team, composed of Marc Pfister, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister, Alan Frei, and Benjo Delarmente, made history last Friday when they defeated South Korea, 5-3, to rule the event at the Asian Winter Games. 

That marked the first time the Philippines and any Southeast Asian country to ever win a gold medal in the Games. 

Tolentino added they will also ask for financial support for other winter sports. 

“We will also request for other winter sports too like for our alpine skiers, figure skaters, snowboarders, freestyle skiers, short track speed skaters because they are training very hard to represent our country in these overseas competitions.”

The Philippines emerged as the fifth best nation and top Southeast Asian-performing country in the Asian Winter Games.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News