And it came out perfectly.

France had seized the moment, the momentum and the medal. Grandidier Nkanang, Dupont and their team, one which had failed 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-Nigerian 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 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 dead 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.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says captain Martin Odegaard has suffered a “quite significant” ankle ligament injury.

The midfielder limped off during Norway’s Nations League win over Austria on Monday, 9 September.

Odegaard had gone down in pain after hurting his left ankle following a foul by Christoph Baumgartner midway through the second half.

He returned to Arsenal for an MRI scan and missed his side’s 1-0 win at Tottenham in the north London derby on Sunday.

“The scan showed some damage around the ligaments in the ankle so we are going to miss him,” said Gunners boss Arteta before his side play Atalanta in the Champions League on Thursday.

“It’s something quite significant so we are going to lose him for a while. Hopefully not months.”

Tony Ferguson has called out UFC champion Conor McGregor after landing the interim lightweight belt in Las Vegas.

The 33 year-old defeated Kevin Lee with a third-round triangle choke submission at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.

While still in the octagon, the 23-3 fighter addressed McGregor as McNuggets and said he was going to “kick the ass” of the Irishman.

“You better come and f*****g defend that belt. Defend or vacate,” he added.

McGregor is the reigning UFC lightweight champion after defeating Eddie Alvarez in November 2016 in New York.

But the Irishman is yet to defend the belt, having taken on Floyd Mayweather Junior in August at the same arena which hosted UFC 216 on Saturday night.

The moment that changed Schillaci’s life came on 9 June 1990 as Italy struggled to break down Austria in their first game in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, when he met Gianluca Vialli’s right-wing cross to rise and power home a 79th-minute header just three minutes after coming on as substitute.

Schillaci raced off towards the touchline, almost in disbelief, pumping his arms out wide and staring wide-eyed, lost in the ecstasy of celebration. He looked like he would not stop running until he was brought to a halt, swamped by elated Italy team-mates.

An unlikely superstar was born.

Vicini resisted the temptation to start Schillaci, who came on as a substitute in the narrow win over the USA, but bowed to national demands to play the tough Sicilian alongside the great Roberto Baggio against the Czechoslovakia.

Schillaci and Baggio both scored in a 2-0 win and were soon hailed as a dream ticket, the headline on the front of Gazzetta Dello Sport reading: “Italy in delirium with Schillaci and Baggio. How beautiful you are.”

The remarkable tale continued with Schillaci scoring one and making another for Aldo Serena as Uruguay were beaten in the last 16. He ended the Republic of Ireland’s superb World Cup campaign at the quarter-finals stage with the decisive strike in a 1-0 win, also scoring against Argentina in the last four only for the dream to die as Italy went out on penalties.

Italia ’90 ended on a personal high as he scored a late penalty as the hosts beat England 2-1 to secure third place. He was the recipient of a generous gesture from Baggio, who stepped aside as penalty taker to give Schillaci the chance to end as the tournament’s top scorer ahead of Czech Republic striker Tomas Skuhravy.

Baggio’s decision showed that Schillaci’s down-to-earth personality and selfless playing style had made him a figure as popular with his Italy team-mates as he was with the rest of the world.

As far as Italy was concerned, Schillaci was now immortal, forever recognised in his home country, with stories of children and animals – including thoroughbred horses – named after the man who started his career being paid £1.50 a goal for a local amateur side.

Two hours after the mass brawl erupted at the T-Mobile Arena, White explained later that three of the Russian’s team were arrested and later released.

“I’m so disappointed,” said White. “I’m one of the guys who has worked 18 years to get this sport where it is today.”

Mixed martial arts – the UFC – was banned in 36 US states in the mid-nineties and forced underground. White has been part of a small team helping the sport gain recognition in the mainstream.

“The thing was trending to be number one or two of all time on pay-per-view and this is how it ends,” he said of the fight league, whose estimated worth is $7 billion. “It’s bad for the brand, it’s bad for the sport, it’s bad for both fight camps. I don’t know how anyone can come out looking good from this.”

White said the Nevada State Commission, which sanctioned the contest, has withheld 30-year-old Nurmagomedov’s purse – $2 million – pending an investigation. McGregor was to be paid his, added White.

The Nevada State governor, who was at the contest, is likely to call for an investigation and the Nevada State Athletic Commission could suspend Nurmagomedov’s licence to fight.

White added: “Police officers were getting punched, security guys were getting punched. I actually think police and security did an incredible job. Khabib jumped over the cage like one of those Parkour guys. What are you expected to do?

“What he should have done was walk over, pick Conor up and say some great things to one of other. Whatever you think of Conor, at least respect the guy. I don’t like it and don’t want to ever be in that position again.

“It’s a great sport with great athletes and this is not how we conduct ourselves.”

This was a black eye for the sport. On a night when the most eyes in its 25-year history were watching.

After a drawn T20 series between England and Australia, it is time for the one-day internationals.

There are five matches between 19 and 29 September – and the last time that happened between the two sides was 2018.

England won 5-0, but how well do you remember that series?

We’ve put together 10 questions, good luck!