HARBIN, China — Filipino curlers Marc Pfister and Kathleen Dubberstein stayed in contention to win the country’s first medal even as speed skater Peter Joseph Groseclose advanced to the crucial races of his events shortly before Friday’s opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games.

Although Pfister and Dubberstein dropped their mixed doubles semifinal encounter against Japan’s Aoki Go and Koana Tori, 10-3, they can still reward the Philippines a breakthrough podium finish in these Games versus host China in the bronze-medal match on Saturday.

Groseclose made the grade for a semifinal seat of the 1500 meters and to the quarterfinals of the 500m in men’s short track speed skating at the HIC Multifunctional Hall while likewise booking another quarterfinal spot in the 1000m.

“I’m excited to have started my Asian Winter Games campaign on such a strong note, advancing through the semifinals and quarterfinals in all events,’’ Groseclose said.

The 17-year-old Winter Youth Olympian is aiming to reach the podium in the 1500m and 500m on Saturday and 1000m on Sunday.

Groseclose finished second in the first of eight heats in the 500m, clocking 42.562 seconds behind Korea’s Sungwoo Jang (42.258) to make it to the quarterfinals.

He arrived fourth in Heat 6 of the quarterfinals in the 1500m (2:19.31) won by China’s Liu Shaoang (2:16.53) and second in the Heat 8 of the 1000m in 1:29.63 after Kazakhstan’s Adil Galiakhmetov reached the line 1:29.46.

“It gives me great confidence and motivation as I continue to compete and strive for success in the upcoming races,” said Groseclose.

The Los Angeles-based skater came close to bagging the nation’s first medal in the Winter Youth Olympics last year in Gangwon, South Korea if not for an accidental crash.

Groseclose still finished fifth overall, the best performance of a Filipino athlete at the Winter Youth Olympics that surpassed figure skater Michael Martinez’s seventh place during 2012 edition.