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HARBIN, China: 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 were 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 line up at Milan-Cortina in 2026.

The Swiss-Filipino men’s quartet are this week gaining invaluable experience at the Asian Winter Games in China, their biggest stage yet.

Just two years after the launch of the country’s curling federation, the men’s team — who were all born in Switzerland to Filipino mothers — have already secured a place at 2026 Olympic pre-qualifiers 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 euro ($31,000) on the team, who were 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 AFP during practice at the Harbin Pingfang District Curling Arena.

“It’s just a great team dynamic,” said Frei, who describes himself as an “e-commerce entrepreneur.”

“We love hanging out with each other. It’s always funny, we are cracking jokes. So that’s our big advantage.”

They also have experience in their ranks.

The other three members — electrician Enrico Pfister, his brother and construction worker Marc Pfister and banker Christian Haller — have previously competed for Switzerland in 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.

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 (86F) 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, bowls and chess on ice.

“We’re already having some followers watching our games and messaging us: ‘How do we learn curling in the Philippines?’” 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 US, booked a trip to Harbin.

“I still can’t believe that tropical countries have the opportunity to play in winter or snow sports,” Cruz told AFP.

Cruz has lived in the US for about four decades but said he still at times feels like a foreigner there, 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, which have room for only around 200 spectators.

But he was happy that the team were 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.”
 

GLASGOW: Bayern Munich took a major step toward the Champions League last 16 as Michael Olize’s thunderbolt and Harry Kane’s clinical finish secured a 2-1 win at Celtic in the play-off round first leg on Wednesday.

Vincent Kompany’s side dominated the first half and a stunning strike from Olize gave them a deserved lead before Kane maintained his red-hot scoring streak after the interval.

Daizen Maeda netted in the closing stages to give Scottish champions Celtic hope of a miraculous escape act in the second leg.

The Japan forward was only playing after his two-game ban was unexpectedly reduced on appeal this week following his red card against Young Boys.

But Bundesliga leaders Bayern will still be favorites to advance to the last 16 when Celtic visit Munich on February 18.

Celtic finished just three points behind Bayern in the league phase, yet there is a huge gulf between the clubs’ European pedigree.

Six-time European champions Bayern lead the Bundesliga by eight points, while Celtic are attempting to reach the last 16 for the first time since 2012-13.

For the first 70 minutes that chasm in quality was clear to see before Bayern eased up in the closing stages, nearly allowing Celtic back into the tie as a result.

Celtic’s first defeat in 33 home matches across all competitions was a welcome confidence boost for Bayern, who had shown a weakness on the road in league phase defeats at Barcelona, Aston Villa and Feyenoord.

Celtic thought they had preyed on that weakness when former Bayern forward Nicolas Kuhn fired home from 20 yards inside the first minute, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside against Adam Idah.

Bayern could have been swept away by the tidal wave of noise cascading down from the Parkhead stands.

But Kompany’s men are too experienced for that and they quickly seized control with a steady diet of possession.

Olize nearly put Bayern ahead with a powerful strike that forced Kasper Schmeichel to save at his near post.

Schmeichel was forced into action again moments later as Kane’s curler was pushed away by the Dane.

Bayern were camped on the edge of the Celtic area as they probed for an opener.

Kane should have broken the deadlock when he nodded Olize’s corner into the side-netting from close-range.

But the England captain’s blushes were spared by Olize on the stroke of half-time.

Cutting inside Greg Taylor to reach Dayot Upamecano’s long pass, Olize unleashed a blistering drive that arrowed into the top corner from 15 yards.

It was no more than Bayern deserved for their territorial dominance and the Germans struck again four minutes after the interval.

Joshua Kimmich’s corner swung all the way to the far post without a Celtic clearance and the unmarked Kane guided a composed volley past Schmeichel from five yards.

Kane’s typically predatory finish took his season tally to 29 goals in 29 games in all competitions.

Upamecano’s challenge on Arne Engels prompted a long VAR check for a potential penalty, but Celtic’s appeal was correctly rejected.

That was the signal for Celtic to mount a late bid to haul themselves back into the tie.

Bayern had grown increasingly sloppy and Rodgers’ men earned their lifeline in the 79th minute when Maeda met Yang Hyun-Jun’s shot with a header from virtually on the line.

Kompany’s men had to cling on for dear life in the final minutes, with Manuel Neuer producing a crucial save to deny Alistair Johnston.