TAGAYTAY CITY — An Olympic Solidarity scholarship looms after the national curlers secured a historic gold medal in the 9th Asian Winter Games in China over the weekend.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino yesterday said that he would endorse Marc Angelo Pfister, Christian Patrick Haller, Alan Beat Frei and Enrico Gabriel Pfister to a sports scholarship grant courtesy of the International Olympic Committee.
The Filipino-foreign quartet made the country proud when they beat South Korea, 5-3, to pocket the country’s first ever gold medal in the men’s curling event of the Asian Winter Games at the Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena in the northern Chinese city of Harbin.
The win was greatly celebrated back home as it helped the country emerge fifth in the overall ranking behind winter countries like China, South Korea, Japan and Kazakhstan. Also, it was the Filipinos’ first gold medal in the Asian Winter Games, a feat that came less than a year after gymnast Carlos Yulo won two gold medals in the Paris Olympics last year.
Tolentino said the triumph made the national curlers deserving of an Olympic Solidarity scholarship in which they stand to receive financial assistance, technical support and other perks that will help them in staying on top of their games as they also get free training anywhere in the world.
“I am applying to the men’s curling team for an Olympic Solidarity scholarship,” Tolentino said during a press briefing at the Knights Templar Hotel here on Sunday .
“I haven’t given another one yet so it’s better to give it to curling because they delivered. If approved, this will last until the 2026 Winter Olympics.”
Also present during the press conference were Curling Pilipinas president and alternate athlete Benjo Delarmente as well as coaches Miguel Gutierrez and Jessica Pfister.
If ever, the national curlers will join an elite cast of athletes who are enjoying subsidies through the Olympic Solidarity scholarship. Also part of that group are Olympians Samantha Catantan of fencing and Joanie Delgaco of rowing, and Peter Groseclose of figure skating.
Should the IOC approve the POC’s application, the Filipino curlers will have a good chance of winning the country’s first Winter Olympics gold medal in Milano, Italy from 6 to 22 February next year.
They will also get a fighting chance as they plan to join the Pre-Olympic Qualification Event from 17 to 24 October, which serves as a prerequisite for the Olympic Qualification Event from 6 to 13 December.
Only the two best teams of the Olympic Qualification Event will enter the Winter Olympics, which only has 10 slots, including host Italy.
Gutierrez said should their application get approved they want to set up a training camp in either Canada or in Europe.
“Honestly, because these guys already practice in Switzerland, they already have access to the facilities there but other places in Europe would be nice,” Gutierrez said.
“We can always explore going into Canada more to train as well. Any of the powerhouse nations because they have some of the top-notch facilities anyway.”