Fil-Swiss Alan Frei is hoping one day curling, a winter sport, will be popular in a tropical country like the Philippines.

The 42-year-old national curling team member,  who is also an entrepreneur and economist, believed they must overcome a daunting task which is to qualify for 2026 Winter Olympics which will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Frei knew the team has to make a strong statement, and it all boils down to a breakthrough performance which is to earn a spot in the Olympics.

“Our goal is to compete for the Philippines in the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milan, Cortina. That's our main goal,” Frei said in an interview via Zoom Thursday, July 18.

“It's our only goal. So as a team, as on a micro stage, there's like the only ambition there. But as mentioned, we are fostering through the Curling Association,” he added. “We are fostering the whole thing of getting more people into the curling sports.”

The national team had its opportunity to compete in the Pan Continental Curling Championships in Canada last year.

Each member of the Curling Winter Sports Association – the only official curling group from the Philippines – has a Filipina mother which made the team eligible to compete.

The Filipino curlers turned heads in their first-ever campaign as they bagged silver in the men’s Division B. It was almost a perfect run for the Philippines but it succumbed to China, which eventually secured promotion to Division A.

“So we were like, okay, it was very, very close against China, so we almost beat a professional Chinese team, and we became second,” Frei added.

“And then we realized, okay, we have realistic chances to play against the really, really good ones,” he continued.

The squad must win or make it to the finals of this year’s Pan Continental Division B in October as two spots are at stake for the Winter Games.

The curlers are currently in Switzerland where they continue their day jobs and training.