The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is gearing up for a historic campaign as it sends its largest contingent yet—20 athletes—to the Asian Winter Games 2025 in Harbin, China, from February 7 to 14. With a strong team competing across six disciplines, the POC aims to pave the way for the country’s first-ever Winter Olympics medal.
Building on Summer Success
POC President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino expressed his ambition to replicate the Philippines’ Summer Olympics success, where the nation achieved three consecutive gold medals under his leadership, starting with weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo in Tokyo 2020.
“We’ve already accomplished the dream in the Summer Olympics,” Tolentino stated. “Now, that dream extends to the Winter Olympics.”
Team Philippines: Largest Contingent Yet
The team heading to Harbin will participate in six of the 11 sports on the program, with the curling team boasting the largest group of 10 athletes. Other athletes will compete in figure skating, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, short track speed skating, and snowboarding.
Key athletes include:
- Figure Skating: Paolo Borromeo, Aleksandr Korovin, Cathryn Limketkai, Isabella Marie Gamez, Sofia Lexi Jacqueline Frank
- Curling: Marc Angelo Pfister, Enrico Gabriel Pfister, Jessica Pfister, Kathleen Dubberstein, and others
- Alpine Skiing: Francis Ceccarelli, Talullah Proulx
- Snowboarding: Adrian Tongko
Preparation for Milan-Cortina 2026
The Harbin Games mark a pivotal step toward the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in 2026, where the Philippines hopes to make history by earning its first medal.
Tolentino emphasized the challenge ahead but remained optimistic: “The Winter Olympics are as tough as the Summer Games, but we have proven it can be done.”
The Bigger Picture
Harbin will host 64 events, and the competition is expected to be fierce, with Japan, China, and Kazakhstan historically dominating the games. However, the Philippines’ participation reflects its growing commitment to winter sports and its determination to carve out a space on the global stage.
