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| The Philippine curling team flaunts its gold medals. PSC |
MANILA—The Philippines' first-ever medal in the Asian Winter Games is the one everyone wants.
Even if they had to sacrifice being with their loved ones for Valentine's Day, the men's curling team's labor bore the biggest fruit after beating South Korea, 5-3, in the championship game at the Harbin Pingfang District Curling Arena in China.
Like in their semifinal against host country China, the Filipino curlers, Marc and Enrico Pfister, Christian Haller, Alan Frei, and Benjo Delarmento, pulled off some magic in crunch time.
In End 7, they scored one point, breaking a 3-all tie, before sealing the gold with the dagger point in End 8.
The Philippine team avenged its 1-6 defeat to South Korea in the group stages as they won the last six matches to clinch the gold.
On the other hand, it was a painful loss for the Koreans, who were gunning for a full 6-0 sweep.
They never got to taste the lead in the final and settled for the silver instead.
After a goalless first period, the Philippines drew first blood in the second before South Korea tied it up in the third.
The Filipino five scored two goals in the fourth end to go 3-1 up, but the Koreans struck in the fifth and sixth ends to force the 3-all deadlock before the Philippine team pulled away from there.
China took home the bronze after taking down Hong Kong in the battle for third, 10-3.
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