The Philippine mixed curling team made an explosive debut at the Ninth Asian Winter Games in Harbin, pulling off a stunning upset over world No. 13 South Korea, 12-6, before dismantling world No. 45 Kyrgyzstan, 10-2, in Group A round-robin play on Tuesday.

Unranked duo Marc Pfister (Filipino-Swedish) and Kathleen Dubberstein (Filipino-American) proved to be a nightmare matchup for Korea’s Jihoon Seong and Kim Kyeongae, who were caught off guard by the Filipinos’ aggressive play. The commanding victory set the tone for the tournament, signaling the Philippines as a legitimate medal contender in its curling debut.

Dominating the Ice in Harbin

Fresh off their morning shocker against South Korea, Pfister and Dubberstein carried momentum into their afternoon matchup against Keremet Asanbaeva and Iskhak Abykeev of Kyrgyzstan, delivering another dominant 10-2 win to start their campaign 2-0.

“This is a delightful start for Team Philippines,” said Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. “It’s a morale booster ahead of the official opening ceremony on Friday. I hope we keep this momentum going.”

The top two teams from each of the two groups will advance to Friday’s semifinals, with the gold medal match scheduled for Saturday.

Korea Fights Back, But PH Closes Strong

Despite a slow start, South Korea attempted a comeback, but the Filipinos kept their composure. A five-point surge in the seventh end sealed the landmark victory.

“We are definitely the underdog team here, but we came to compete,” said Curling Pilipinas secretary-general Jarryd Bello. “Beating one of the top teams in the tournament gives us a real shot at a medal.”

Road to the Medal Round

The Philippines sits atop Group A, alongside Kazakhstan and Chinese Taipei, while host China leads Group B.

On Wednesday, Pfister and Dubberstein will take on Qatar at 10 a.m. and China at 6 p.m., aiming to secure a spot in the semifinals.

More Filipinos Set to Compete

Aside from curling, short track speed skater Peter Groseclose has already arrived in Harbin, preparing for the men’s 1,500m, 500m, and 1,000m events on Friday.

Meanwhile, figure skaters Cathryn Limketkai and Sofia Frank will check in on Saturday, with Paolo Borromeo, Isabella Gamez, and Alexandr Korovin joining on Sunday.

The Asian Winter Games opening ceremony is set for Friday at the Harbin International Convention Exhibition and Sports Center.