Aaron Grandidier Nkanang – the Londoner who won Olympic rugby gold with France

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Aaron Grandidier Nkanang – the Londoner who won Olympic rugby gold with France

And it came out perfectly.

France had seized the moment, the momentum and the medal. Grandidier Nkanang, Dupont and their team, one which had ******* to even qualify for Tokyo, had won the hosts’ first gold of the Games.

For Grandidier Nkanang, the long road to the city of lights started on Turnpike Lane.

It was there, in Haringey, north London, that his British-********* father Nick Nkanang and his French mother Estelle Grandidier met in the early 1990s.

By the time Aaron was born, five months into a new millennium, they had moved south of the river, but London was always home.

Rugby wasn’t on the radar: Grandidier Nkanang’s father was into cycling and martial arts, while his mother did yoga.

And Aaron wasn’t on rugby’s radar.

He first touched the oval ball aged 11, when he started at a local grammar school and found it the dominant sport.

Left behind by his class-mates’ growth spurts and struggling to get to grips with the rules, he then stopped playing for two years. He missed another season through injury, reverting back to his first love of basketball.

It was only at the age of 16 – a point where other prospects are already locked into pathways and professional clubs – that he started to take it seriously, finding he had caught up physically and his time on court had sharpened his footwork and handling.

He rose fast and steep – acing trials for Kent, London and the South East and England Counties – excelling at every level.

“I always knew I wanted to be a sportsman,” says Grandidier Nkanang.

“I loved competing and the idea of the lifestyle, and I just locked on to rugby as my route.”

Until the route ran into a ***** end.

“I scored two tries in a win over Ireland Schools and Clubs and the England Counties coaches said there were people watching the game.

“I really hoped I was going to get some traction, but there was nothing.

“I heard London Scottish might be interested, Leicester Tigers – but it ended up being just rumours and echoes.”

After a year at university, Grandidier Nkanang took matters into his own hands. He contacted a rugby agent, showed them his showreel and his French passport and asked them to make enquiries.

He got more than echoes back. He visited Brive, Toulon, Castres and Oyonnax. He signed with Brive, mentioned his Sevens experience and the French selectors were soon on the phone.

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