Heating up Harbin: 19-athlete Philippines pursues history in Asian Winter Games

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Fil-foreign standout athletes take their winter sports expertise back to the world stage all for the Philippines' glory as the Asian Winter Games commence in Harbin, China from February 7 to 14

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical country the Philippines continues to dream for the improbable as it heads to Harbin, China for the upcoming Asian Winter Games this February 7 to 14.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino professed faith for the 19-strong delegation, comprised mostly of Fil-foreigners who have adequately adapted to winter conditions and sporting events not naturally available in the Philippines.

“I believe our winter sport athletes can deliver, not in terms of medals, but in terms of the exposure and experience that’s needed as we also put weight on our thrust for the Winter Olympics,” Tolentino said on Monday, February 3.

Leading the Filipino diaspora are familiar names in international winter sports competitions, like figure skating pair Isabella Gamez and naturalized Russian Alexander Korovin, individual figure skaters Paolo Borromeo, Cathryn Limketkai, and Sofia Frank, and slalom skiers Francis Ceccarelli and Tallulah Proulx.

Young standouts Laetaz Amihan Rabe and Peter Groseclose are also present for multiple snowboarding events and speed skating, respectively, while the five-person men’s and women’s curling teams complete the Philippine delegation.

Snowboarder Adrian Lee Tongko, uncle of Sofia Frank, was supposed to round out the country’s biggest-ever group to 20, but he suffered an untimely knee injury just days before the Harbin Games and decided to pull out of the event.

A total of 1,275 athletes from 34 countries are seeing action in 64 events in 11 sports – alpine skiing, biathlon, cross country, curling, figure skating, freestyle skating, ice hockey, short track speed skating, ski mountaineering, snowboarding and speed skating – in Harbin.

“We are optimistic and confident this team would get all the honing opportunities that would help them qualify for next year’s Winter Olympics,” Tolentino continued.

“We’ve already succeeded in winning gold medals in the Summer Olympics, and the thrust is to win medals in the Winter Olympics.”

Italy will host the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina from February 6 to 22, 2026. – Rappler.com