MANILA – Speed skater Peter Groseclose and curling athlete Kathleen Dubberstein were named flag-bearers for Team Philippines in the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games on Friday night at the Harbin International Convention Exhibition and Sports Center in China.

The Filipino-American Dubberstein and Filipino-Swiss Marc Pfister already racked up three straight wins against seeded squads from South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, and Qatar in round-robin play of curling earlier this week. But they lost to world's No. 15 China, 6-9, Wednesday evening.

Despite the setback, Pfister and Dubberstein are guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals for a potential medal.

“What more could we ask for an inspiring start in the Philippines’ debut in curling in these games,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, who is joined in Harbin by his secretary-general Wharton Chan and chef de mission Ricky Lim.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based Groseclose will compete on Friday morning in the heats of the men’s 500 and 1,000 meters and the quarterfinals of the 1,500m at the Heilongjiang Ice Events Training Center.

“I’m ready and excited. Practices have been going well and I think I’ll be able to give a performance I can be proud of,’’ said the 17-year-old Groseclose, who finished fifth overall in the 500m event during the 2024 Winter Youth Olympics in Gangwon, South Korea where he sustained an injury cut at the right side of his foot.

The winners in the curling semifinals will battle for the gold medal on Saturday while the losers will fight for the bronze.

"Our curling team is doing good, and their confidence is growing. There’s a chance that we could win a medal,’’ Tolentino said.

Aside from Groseclose, Pfister and Dubberstein, other members of the Philippine team are figure skaters Paolo Borromeo, Cathryn Limketkai, Sofia Frank and the pair of Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin; slalom alpine skiers Francis Ceccarelli and Tallulah Proulx; and snowboarder Laetaz Amihan Rabe and curling athletes Benjo Delarmente, Alan Frei, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister, Anne Bonache, Leilani Dubberstein, Sheila Mariano and Jessica Pfister. (PNA)