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Filipino curlers Marc Pfister and Kathleen Dubberstein remained in contention to seize the country’s first medal as speed skater Peter Joseph Groseclose advanced to the crucial races of his events shortly before Friday’s opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China.

Although Pfister and Dubberstein dropped their mixed doubles semifinal encounter against Japan’s Aoki Go and Koana Tori, 10-3, they can still reward the Philippines a breakthrough podium finish in these Games versus host China in the bronze-medal match on Saturday.

Groseclose qualified to the semifinals of the 1500 meters and to the quarterfinals of the 500m in men’s short track speed skating at the HIC Multifunctional Hall while likewise booking another quarterfinal spot in the 1000m.

"I’m excited to have started my Asian Winter Games campaign on such a strong note, advancing through the semifinals and quarterfinals in all events," Groseclose said.

READ: Goreclose, Dubberstein are PH flag-bearers in opening ceremony of Asian Winter Games

The 17-year-old Winter Youth Olympian is aiming to reach the podium in the 1500m and 500m on Saturday and 1000m on Sunday.

Groseclose finished second in the first of eight heats in the 500m, clocking 42.562 seconds behind Korea’s Sungwoo Jang (42.258) to make it to the quarterfinals.

READ: PH’s mixed-doubles curling team preserves spotless record in Hardin Winter Games

He arrived fourth in heat 6 of the quarterfinals in the 1500m (2:19.31) won by China’s Liu Shaoang (2:16.53) and second in the heat 8 of the 1000m in 1:29.63 after Kazakhstan’s Adil Galiakhmetov reached the line 1:29.46.

"It gives me great confidence and motivation as I continue to compete and strive for success in the upcoming races," said Groseclose.

The Los Angeles-based skater came close to bagging the nation’s first medal in the Winter Youth Olympics last year in Gangwon, South Korea if not for an accidental crash that wounded his left foot and dimmed his medal chances altogether.

Groseclose still finished fifth overall, the best performance of a Filipino athlete at the Winter Youth Olympics that surpassed figure skater Michael Martinez’s seventh place during 2012 edition.

READ: Curling: PH’s Pfister, Dubberstein stun Korea to open Harbin Asian Winter Games

"I know I’ll be competing with some stronger skaters now that the field has been narrowed down. But it’s something that I’m used to, having competed in the World Cup and World Tours,’’ said Groseclose, who captured the 500m bronze medal in the International Skating Union Junior World Cup in Italy.

Prior to their face-off with Go and Tori, the Filipino-Swiss Pfister and the Filipino-American Dubberstein toppled Chinese Taipei’s Liu Bor-Kai and Chou Yi-Hsuan, 7-2, in the qualification round after winning four of their five matches in the round robin in Group B, including pulling off a 12-6 win over No. 13 South Korea.

"They’re (mixed doubles curling team) doing well and although we dropped that match against Japan, we’re still hoping to finish the event with a medal,’’ said Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino.

Groseclose and Dubberstein have been picked as the country’s flag-bearers in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony Friday at the 17,000-seat Harbin International Convention Exhibition and Sports Center.

They will lead the national team of 20 athletes supported by the Philippine Sports Commission in the Games where a total of 1,275 competitors from 34 countries signed up in 64 from 11 sports.

Figure skaters Paolo Borromeo, Cathryn Limketkai, Sofia Frank and the pair of Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin possess positive medal chances, according to Philippines' chef de mission Ricky Lim, along with alpine skiers Francis Ceccarelli and Tallulah Proulx and snowboarder Laetaz Amihan Rabe.

Groseclose could capture a medal in the 500m and 1500m on Saturday with Proulx starting her bid in women’s slalom before Ceccarelli ride the slopes of the mountainous Heilongjiang Yabuli Sports Training Base in men’s slalom the following day.

Completing the Philippine curling squad are Benjo Delarmente, Alan Frei, Christian Haller and Enrico from the men’s side and Anne Bonache, Leilani Dubberstein, Sheila Mariano and Jessica Pfister in the women’s team.