Like many Americans, Oona and Gage Brown are watching the Winter Olympics on TV.
They also have dreams of competing in it someday.
“We’d love to be in the next Olympics,” Oona said. “That’s definitely a goal looking forward.”
The siblings came close to qualifying for the Milan Cortina Games, finishing sixth in ice dancing at theU.S. Figure Skating Championshipsand becoming alternates.
They have roots in Greenport. Oona, 21, was born there on Sept. 10, 2004. Gage, 23, who was born in Bay Shore on Oct. 20, 2002,lived there for two years. Their parents, Zhon Brown and Louis DeVirgilio, owned the Front Street Cafe on Main Street for a decade, Gage said.
Today, they call Bay Shore home.
At the U.S. nationals in St. Louis on Jan. 10, the Browns finished sixth with a score of 194.31. The top three pairs qualified for Milan. The next three were named alternates.
“We were very satisfied with our skate in St. Louis,” Gage said. “That was one of the best skates that we’ve had this entire season. We felt like we really left it all out on the ice that night. It was received well by the crowd. That moment was probably one of the most memorable moments in our career. How we took in the cheering, it was a great feeling for both of us.”
Becoming one of the top three Americans among some world-class pairs is not an easy task. The USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates won their second Olympic gold medal in the event on Monday, Feb. 9.
It would have taken injuries to all three teams for the Browns to be called over to Italy.
Source: The Suffolk Times
