Pinoy mixed doubles curling team goes 3-1

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SUSTAINING its winning streak, the Philippine mixed doubles curling team humbled Qatar 11-3 yesterday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 9th Harbin Asian Winter Games at the Pingfang Curling Arena

After beating world No. 13 South Korea 12-2 and No. 45 Kyrgyzstan, the unranked Filipino-Swiss pair of Marc Pfister and Fil-Am Kathleen Dubberstein proved too strong for Mabarka Al-Abdulla and Nasser Abdulrah Alyafei to post their third straight win in Group B.

“We just kept the same attitude heading to the next games. Our goal is to win all our round-robin games and possibly sweep it,” said Dubberstein.

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The 30-year-old electrical engineering graduate from Wisconsin is confident they would have a crack at the podium with the top three nations in each of the two brackets advancing to the next round.

“Qatar is also a developing nation in curling just like us. Our game with them was a good experience,” said Dubberstein, who will also suit up Sunday in the opening round of women’s curling.

But the team’s winning streak was ended by China, which scored a 9-6 win last night.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and secretary-general Wharton Chan cheered for the Filipino mixed duo, expressing confidence for a potential medal in the sport.

“Very impressive and their confidence is growing. To win a medal, they have to stay that way,” Tolentino said.

On Thursday, the Philippines plays No. 33 Kazakhstan at 6 p.m.

Tolentino said that speed skater Peter Groseclose and Dubberstein will be the flag-bearers in the opening ceremony on Friday at the Harbin International Convention Exhibition and Sports Center.

“Peter already represented us in several overseas competitions, especially in last year’s Winter Youth Olympic Games, while Kathleen is the other best available athlete as flag-bearer,” Tolentino said.

Grosclose, before the opening ceremony in the evening, will compete in the morning qualifying heats of the 1,500-meter, 100-meter and 500-meter short track speed skating events beginning at 9 a.m. at the Heilongjiang Ice Events Training Center Multifunctional Hall.

Team Philippines has brought 20 athletes to the Games who will vie for medals with 33 other participating Asian nations with a combined total of 1,275 athletes set to compete in 11 sports, including 64 events.

Aside from Grosclose and Dubberstein, the other Filipino athletes for the Asian Winter Games guided by Chef de Mission Ricky Lim are figure skaters Paolo Borromeo, Cathryn Limketkai, Sofia Frank and the pair of Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin.

The men’s curling squad is composed Benjo Delarmente, Alan Frei, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister and Marc Pfister while the women’s side will be represented by Anne Bonache, Kathleen Dubberstein, Leilani Dubberstein, Sheila Mariano and Jessica Pfister.

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