Alan Frei (right) sweeps during a match between the Philippines and Kazakhstan at the Asian Winter Games on Monday. AFP
A banker, a construction worker, an electrician and an entrepreneur from snowy Switzerland have an unlikely shot at making Winter Olympics curling history — for the tropical Philippines.
Jamaica's bobsleigh team was immortalized in the movie Cool Runnings after taking part in the 1988 Winter Olympics.
And the "Curling Pilipinas" could be the next candidates for the Hollywood treatment, should they find themselves on the ice at Milano-Cortina in 2026.
The Swiss-Filipino men's quartet are this week gaining invaluable experience at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, their biggest stage yet.
Just two years after the launch of the country's curling federation, the men's team — whose members were all born in Switzerland to Filipino mothers — have already secured a place in Olympics pre-qualification later this year.
Unlike their full-time competitors from Asian winter sports powerhouses South Korea, Japan and China, the Philippines team members still work their day jobs.
"We are fully committed, but the money is always tight," said lead Alan Frei. "But, it's for the plot, it's for the story, right?"
Frei has spent around 30,000 euros ($31,000) on the team, which was largely self-funded before the Asian Winter Games, according to Philippines curling federation president Benjo Delarmente, who is also the squad's reserve player.
The Philippines are not intimidated going up against the best because of the team's top-tier chemistry, Frei told reporters during practice at the Harbin Pingfang District Curling Arena.
'It's always funny'
"It's just a great team dynamic," said Frei, who describes himself as an "E-commerce entrepreneur", whose online ventures have, in the past, included a sex toy store.
"We love hanging out with each other. It's always funny, we are cracking jokes. So that's our big advantage."
They also have some experience.
Marc Pfister prepares to release a stone down the sheet during a match between the Philippines and Kazakhstan on Monday. AFP
The other three members — electrician Enrico Pfister, his brother and construction worker Marc Pfister and banker Christian Haller — have previously competed for Switzerland at world championships.
A few years ago the trio decided to form a Philippines team, but needed a fourth member.
They contacted rookie curler Frei, 42, who had made it his life goal to become an Olympian, and had only taken up the sport after realizing he had "zero talent" for skiing.
By October 2023, they were competing — and the rest could be history.
Perfect sport for Filipinos
With temperatures in host city Harbin struggling to get above freezing, it is a far cry from the Philippines, where the mercury regularly hits 30 Celsius at this time of year.
The Philippines first sent athletes to the Winter Olympics in 1972, but sent a lone skier to the last Games in Beijing in 2022. They have never qualified anyone for a team event.
Delarmente wants to elevate curling in the Philippines, and find more talent from people of Filipino heritage around the world.
Curling is the "perfect" sport for Filipinos, he said, likening it to a combination of billiards, lawn bowls and chess on ice.
"We already have some followers in the Philippines watching our games and messaging us: 'How do we learn curling?'" Delarmente said.
"So, we're getting there.
"People are getting to know more and more about curling in the Philippines, especially (now) that we've had so much success."
Curling fan Jojo Cruz, who grew up in the Philippines, but now lives in the United States, booked a trip to Harbin.
"I still can't believe that tropical countries have the opportunity to participate in winter or snow sports", Cruz told reporters.
Cruz has lived in the US for about four decades, but said he still feels like a foreigner there at times, holding on to his roots in the Philippines.
"I still have that connection, and I don't want to lose that", said Cruz.
But, the 61-year-old, who curled for the Philippines at a senior world championship last year, failed to get tickets for the curling competitions.
Despite that, he was happy that the team was competing and said he was enjoying seeing different parts of the frigid city with his wife.
"I told myself, hey, this is a beautiful place. Harbin is nice. It's so cold, but it's fine."
AFP
