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Free safety app to launch in Manchester

Helen Greaney
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Free safety app to launch in Manchester

A positive step has been taken in the journey to ensure Manchester is a safe city for everyone.

On September 4, the free-to-download WalkSafe app will go live across the city.

This initiative is aimed at helping people make safe journeys by letting them pick safe routes through the city, share their location with family or friends and send an automatic alert out if a person fails to reach their intended destination.

The roll-out of this app goes hand in hand with the steps already taken by Manchester City Council and its partners to make the nighttime economy safe for everyone, but especially women.

It is understandable that in the years following the tragic and avoidable murders of both Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa that a huge amount of focus has been placed on how cities can be made safe for people at night.

In response, Manchester City Council launched the Women’s Night-time Safety Charter in 2022, offering free training and guidance to venues across the city on how to support and promote safety.

With the arrival of WalkSafe to Manchester, the Council hopes that it will help and empower even more people to feel safe no matter who they are or where they are going, day or night and promote venues and businesses who are making women’s safety a priority.

WalkSafe was cretaed by 34-year-old Emma Kay (pictured) who, as a daughter of a Metropolitan Police officer, was subject to many rules to keep her and her siblings stay safe when out and about. Despite this, she experienced following, groping and flashing – incidents which sadly occur too often to many women across the world.

As an adult Emma volunteered at a community centre for people in crisis and saw firsthand the experiences women had, specifically their fear of the streets at night.

Emma’s career in childcare highlighted the importance of educating young girls and boys about issues like consent, gender bias and the importance of preventative actions. She built WalkSafe as she believes technology, combined with vision can genuinely save lives.

Emma said: “Like us, Manchester City Council takes the safety of everyone in the city seriously and to partner with them on such an important initiative is an absolute privilege.

“WalkSafe is now live in Manchester and is free to download. It has unique features that means everyone can feel and be safer. From tracking your friends’ journeys to seeing the safe spaces on the map, it ensures everyone gets home from a night out. The app is ideal for students, commuters, runners and just about everyone. I always say it’s the app that shouldn’t have to exist but sadly it is an essential ally to let us all enjoy our lives and go where we want, when we want.”

 

Police issue update following Gorton murder

Helen Greaney
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Police issue update following Gorton murder
A 22-year-old man has been arrested and placed under the detention of mental health professionals, following a triple stabbing in Gorton.
Police attended a property on Barnard Road on Sunday night, where they found three people all known to each other, had been stabbed.
A 43-year-old woman has passed away from her injuries. A 64-year-old man remains in a critical condition at hospital and the 17-year-old girl is now stable but received serious injuries.

Family liaison officers are providing support to the family, with officers still working to understand the full circumstances.

Detective chief inspector Charlotte Whalley said: “Our thoughts remain with those affected by this tragic incident.

“We have stepped up our patrols of the local area, to provide reassurance to people that our investigation is continuing at a pace, and that we are there to listen to concerns and answer questions.
“We continue to appeal for any information; we advise anyone who witnessed this incident to please come forward, if they haven’t already done so.

“We are also interested in speaking to anyone who was in the surrounding area near to Barnard Road at around 11pm that night. If you have any dash cam, doorbell, or mobile phone footage, this could help us in piecing together what happened.

“Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 3371 of 18/08/2024 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

The Athenaeum Showcases Historic Liverpool Art in Collaboration with Smithdown Social Arts Hub

News Desk
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The Athenaeum Showcases Historic Liverpool Art in Collaboration with Smithdown Social Arts Hub

Smithdown Social Arts Hub, in partnership with The Athenaeum, is delighted to announce a heritage-rich addition to its upcoming local artist exhibition. This unique project will feature previously unseen works by historic Liverpool artists, including James Brierley (1783–1814) and William Gawin Herdman (1805–1882), displayed for the first time to the public.

In addition to contemporary local artists, the exhibition will shine a spotlight on significant works from The Athenaeum’s private collection, focusing on Liverpool’s illustrious artistic history. Two of the exhibition’s heritage highlights include artwork by James Brierley, a prominent portrait and landscape painter of the early 19th century, and William Gawin Herdman, renowned for his depictions of Liverpool’s changing cityscape. Both artists were instrumental in capturing the essence of Liverpool during their lifetimes.

These artworks, meticulously preserved within The Athenaeum’s private collection, have largely remained out of public view—until now. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore Liverpool’s past through the lens of two of its most distinguished historic artists.

The exhibition will not only honour these historic figures but also foster a dialogue between past and present by juxtaposing their works with those of contemporary local artists. This interaction between old and new illustrates Liverpool’s continuous artistic evolution and underscores the city’s rich cultural heritage.

“This is a truly special moment for art and art history lovers in Liverpool,” said Brenda Monahan, Director at Smithdown Social Arts Hub. “The opportunity to include the works of James Brierley and William Gawin Herdman, alongside today’s talented local artists, allows us to reflect on the city’s enduring artistic legacy.”

“We are excited to share with the city region important pieces of historic artwork held within the Athenaeum’s collection, to do this alongside stunning contemporary pieces will provide a unique experience. As an organisation we are committed to providing managed access and showcasing items of significant heritage from our collection, and this leap towards access and engagement alongside partners Smithdown Social Arts Hub looks to be a memorable step in our history,” said Roger Phillips, Chair of The Athenaeum.

Event Highlights:

  • Exhibition Dates: 13th September to 29th November, 2024
  • Location: The Athenaeum, Liverpool
  • Featuring: Historic works by James Brierley (1783–1814) and William Gawin Herdman (1805–1882), alongside contemporary local Liverpool artists
  • Heritage Focus: Explore rare and previously unseen pieces from The Athenaeum’s private collection, offering insights into Liverpool’s cultural and artistic evolution over the past two centuries.

The exhibition also invites the public to enjoy refreshments in the historic Newsroom, a venue steeped in history where many significant discussions on Liverpool’s business and artistic heritage have taken place. The Newsroom houses an impressive collection of portraits, some on loan from the Walker Art Gallery, as well as other historic artefacts of interest.

The art and heritage exhibition will be open to the public on most Thursday and Friday evenings from 6-9pm, starting 13th September. The ticket price includes one refreshment at the Newsroom bar and access to the art and heritage displays. Tickets are available via Eventbrite: https://shorturl.at/4RVkE

The first exhibition will launch on Thursday 12th September with a special opening event featuring live music, refreshments, and opportunities to meet the artists. Members of the press are invited to attend this exclusive event. Please RSVP to [email protected].

The exhibition will open to the general public on 13th September. If you wish to attend this event as a buyer, please RSVP to [email protected].

Affordability Hinders EV Adoption Despite Myth Busting

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Affordability Hinders EV Adoption Despite Myth Busting

The Electric Car Scheme exposes the top misconceptions surrounding EVs in the UK. Affordability remains the top concern for almost 70% of potential EV buyers. Battery health, cost, and range anxiety also continue to be concerns, but demand is growing as prices decrease.

The Electric Car Scheme is highlighting the primary concerns and myths that are preventing Brits from transitioning to electric vehicles.

As part of its new research report, Affording Sustainability, the EV salary sacrifice provider conducted a survey of 2,000 Brits to determine the factors hindering the uptake of EVs.

The research revealed that the most significant obstacle for Brits considering an EV is the initial cost, with 68% identifying this as a major barrier. While this is a well-known issue, it is gradually being addressed as more affordable entry-level models enter the market, bringing down the cost of new EVs.

The growing market for used EVs, where prices are substantially lower, is also boosting demand. Since adding used cars to its offerings, The Electric Car Scheme reports that they now constitute half of its sales.

Range anxiety remains a concern for around 40% of Brits, according to the findings, but with a record 6,000 new public chargers installed in the first quarter of 2024 alone, this issue is starting to ease. Advances in battery technology are also helping, with recent announcements from companies like Chinese EV firm Zeekr indicating that batteries could soon charge from 10% to 80% in just 10 and a half minutes using ultra-rapid charging stations. Additionally, data from The AA reveals that only 1.4% of breakdowns were due to running out of charge, a figure only slightly higher than that for petrol or diesel vehicles.

While the cost of running EVs is generally a key advantage, it remains a concern for 34% of Brits. However, operating an EV is significantly cheaper than running an equivalent petrol car. According to the latest analysis by The Electric Car Scheme, as of 15th July, petrol car owners had already spent as much on fuel as the average EV driver will spend on charging for the entire year.

Battery reliability is a worry for 31% of prospective EV drivers, but this is one of the most manageable issues. Data from battery health specialists ClearWatt shows that with proper charging practices, batteries can lose only 5% of their capacity after seven years of use and over 85,000 miles driven. However, they also found that one specific EV, which was regularly rapid charged to 100%, experienced a 30% decline in capacity within just three and a half years.

Patrick Cresswell, co-founder of ClearWatt, explained: “Electric vehicle battery degradation varies significantly depending on usage patterns and thermal management. It’s well-known that the original Nissan Leaf experienced high rates of degradation (due to a lack of effective battery cooling) and the picture has certainly improved in the second and third gen EVs that have come to market in the preceding years. While most modern EVs maintain battery health well however, outliers certainly do exist and this is usually linked to how the vehicle has been treated.”

The Electric Car Scheme CEO and Co-Founder Thom Groot commented: “We have reached the stage in EV technology and infrastructure where the old concerns are becoming less and less important and, in fact, many of them have become myths or at least misconceptions. The availability of rapid chargers has made the long drive just as feasible as in any other car, and with proper care, batteries are now incredibly reliable.

“The main concern is, instead, affordability, which was the biggest barrier for 68% of Brits, way out in front of any concerns around range, reliability or resale value. This is why we started The Electric Car Scheme, to make EVs more affordable and help increase uptake ahead of the coming phase-out of traditional cars. It is also the reason that our used EV proposition has been so popular, with it now making up half of our sales, as when EVs become cheaper up-front than petrol equivalents it really is a no-brainer to make the switch.”

England v Sri Lanka – Smith and Brook hand hosts slender advantage despite Old Trafford rain

Jon Fisher
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England v Sri Lanka – Smith and Brook hand hosts slender advantage despite Old Trafford rain

Jamie Smith and Harry Brook starred with the bat as England secured a narrow first-innings lead over Sri Lanka following a rain-affected day two of the first Test at Old Trafford.

Smith was unbeaten on 72 at the close – brought forward due to bad light – with Brook departing earlier for a typically entertaining 56 as the hosts reached 259 for six – 23 runs ahead of Sri Lanka’s total of 236 all out.

Inclement weather saw the first session washed out but the tourists, and seamer Asitha Fernando in particular, cashed in when play finally got underway at 1.15pm under leaden skies.

Although Dan Lawrence successfully appealed after being given out lbw to Fernando, his fellow opener Ben Duckett was not so fortunate in the next over as the right-armer trapped him in front for 18.

Ollie Pope, standing in for injured captain Ben Stokes, was next to go, bowled by Fernando for just six.

Vishwa Fernando accounted for Lawrence (30) before Asitha Fernando returned to claim the prize scalp of Joe Root for 42, the Yorkshire batter getting an inside edge with wicketkeeper Dinesh Chandimal claiming a smart catch.

England were 125 for four and the game in the balance but Brook and Smith wrestled the advantage back in the hosts’ favour with a fifth-wicket partnership worth 62.

Brook played the more attacking role, his runs coming from just 73 balls as he jumped on anything over-pitched with a series of beautiful cover drives.

It therefore came as a surprise to see him totally bamboozled by a peach of a delivery from spinner Prabath Jayasuriya, who got one to pitch on middle stump before rearing back to clip the top of the Yorkshireman’s off stump.

Jayasuriya proved it wasn’t a fluke by getting another one to turn sharply and hit Chris Woakes’ off-stump 18 overs later.

Woakes made a confident-looking 25 in tandem with Smith, who continued his fine start to Test cricket with another hugely impressive knock.

After averaging over 51 in the series against the West Indies earlier this summer, the Surrey man again looked in total control as he guided England through to a premature close without further alarm.

Pupils across Manchester celebrate GCSE success

Helen Greaney
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Pupils across Manchester celebrate GCSE success
Pupils at schools across Manchester are amongst thousands of 16-year-olds across the country who have picked up their GCSE results today.
This year’s cohort of pupils who are collecting their results today have had a far from normal route through their secondary school years, with the global pandemic forcing the majority of them to spend months being taught from home during their first and second years at high school, swapping the classroom for their kitchen table and getting to grips with online learning, whilst the world grappled with bringing Covid under control.

Councillor Julie Reid said:  “Every young person who has picked up their results today should feel immensely proud of themselves.  Their time in high school really didn’t get off to the best of starts with Covid and online teaching – and if they take a minute to think back about what they’ve all been through over last five years during what is a really hard time anyway in their lives, they will realise just how brilliantly they have done and how much their hard work has paid off.

“Of course, it’s also important that we remember results day is not just about the top grades.  There are plenty of students at schools across the country who didn’t get a string of A* grades, but who did fantastically well for them, far exceeding their own expectations. Big congratulations should go to each and every one of them.

“And finally, I want to say a big thank you also to all the brilliant and dedicated staff working in our schools who day in and day out go above and beyond to support our students.  You are amazing, thank you.”

Over at Manchester Academy in Moss Side, principal James Eldon also believes that this year’s pupils have done extraordinarily well in their exams this year after everything they were confronted with during their time in high school and that their achievements shouldn’t be underestimated.

GCSEs aren’t just for pupils in mainstream schools and are also offered by some special schools, including Meade Hill High School in North Manchester, with pupils often having significant personal barriers to overcome in addition to studying for their exams – making their achievements even more meaningful for them.

Manchester Summit to Address Burnout in the Agency Sector

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Manchester Summit to Address Burnout in the Agency Sector

A summit in November aims to tackle the growing issue of workplace burnout in the marketing sector, with organisers reporting that 44% of UK workers feel “exhausted” by the end of their workday.

Mind 2 Mood, the organisation behind the summit, highlighted that agency owners are particularly susceptible to burnout due to the relentless demands of clients and the constant need to stay ahead of industry trends. This high-pressure environment can lead to exhaustion and decreased productivity.

The organisation further noted that over half (56%) of UK workers report feeling burnt out, underscoring the urgent need for effective solutions.

The M2M Summit, hosted by Mind to Mood on 21st November at Manchester’s Bonded Warehouse, will address this pressing issue directly. The one-day event will bring together industry leaders, mental health experts, and agency owners to share insights, strategies, and support.

By attending the M2M Summit, agency owners will gain:

  • Practical tools to manage stress and improve personal well-being
  • Strategies to create a high-performance, burnout-resistant agency culture
  • Insights into the latest trends and best practices for the industry
  • The opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals

“Agency owners are under immense pressure to deliver results while maintaining employee satisfaction,” said Sara Simeone and Gemma Gratton, co-founders of Mind to Mood. “The M2M Summit provides a vital platform for addressing these challenges and equipping leaders with the tools they need to thrive.”

Find out more and register at www.mindtomood.com.

Simple yet effective considerations for defining your USP

Helen Greaney
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Simple yet effective considerations for defining your USP

It can be easy to say how your business differs from the rest. However, this can be quite long-
winded — consumers won’t stick around for a long list of benefits.

This is why you need a unique selling proposition (USP) — a short statement that can be used for sales techniques that demonstrates what makes your brand better from your competitors. But, how might you come up with a USP? Let’s take a look at some simple tips.

Think outside the box

Consider what the key pain points are for consumers in your industry that are often overlooked, and how your business solves it. Take something like online casinos, for example. Online casinos allow players to try their hand at various casino games through an online platform on demand. However, some games might not translate as well to the digital medium.

When casino enthusiasts play Slingo bingo at Paddy’s such as Capital Gains, Constitution Hill, and Day of the Dab, they will find gameplay that combines the rules of bingo with the mechanics of slot games. This allows the rules of the game to remain simple to understand for bingo players, whilst adapting the format of the gameplay to function as an on demand game.

As you can see, this requires businesses to think outside the box to find niche gaps in the
market that can be taken advantage of. In this case, Slingo games address the pain point of
complicated gameplay for on demand bingo games. In other settings, this could be a similarly
unique pain point that is important to consumers that your competitors have not already
solved. This allows you to set yourself apart from the pack, shows consumers that you care
about them, and asserts your brand as the authority figure on this particular overlooked issue.

Don’t try to please everyone

Today, diversity and inclusivity are more important than ever before, which has been shown
by big brands such as Häagen-Dazs, Coca-Cola, and Nike. Misunderstanding this, however,
can make it tempting to try to tailor your USP to everyone. This can lead to significant
challenges as different customers have unique needs, demands, purchasing power, and
interests.

Narrowing your audience down to a specific category allows you to identify and quantify
specific behaviours. This is known as market segmentation. Market segmentation splits
prospective customers into groups based on different factors in order to better understand
them and market products in a way that meets their needs, as defined by Investopedia. In
doing so, you can better understand the audience who are most likely to buy from you, and
define your USP with them in mind. By including specific promises, benefits, or expectations
of this target audience in your USP, this will boost chances of conversion.

Government contracts: A strategic gateway to business expansion

Helen Greaney
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Government contracts: A strategic gateway to business expansion

The UK government contract market remains to be big business, with public sector procurement reaching over £393 million in 2022/23. Of this spending, there is a fairly even distribution across education, social protection, economic affairs, public order and safety, defence, and general public services. Health, however, is much larger by several orders of magnitude.

There was a £25 billion increase in spending compared to the year prior, proving that this is a growing opportunity not just for large businesses, but businesses of all sizes.

Government contracts have proven time and time again to be a strategic tool for growth through stabilising income and winning big-ticket contracts. They’re ways into long-term relationships with a growing government appetite.

Are government contracts only suitable for corporations and large businesses?

In recent years, there have been some efforts to make public procurement more accessible to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). The Procurement Act 2023, which is coming into force next October this year, is further streamlining the process to give SMEs more opportunities to compete fairly. 

By speeding the process up and making it simpler, smaller firms can have the means to bid. For example, the act means that proof of insurance is going to be required after winning a big, as opposed to during a bid, meaning SMEs needn’t sink as much time and money into a bid of which the outcome is uncertain.

The Act also helps by focusing on value for money, which can be something that SMEs employ in their bidding strategy. However, the most direct way it helps is by emphasising the importance of SMEs for the British economy and stating that smaller, more tailored contract lots be created, as well as making the tenders and contracts more visible.

Ultimately, the government has made it clear that it wants to increase the involvement of SMEs. SMEs won £21 billion worth of bids in 2022, which was a record amount and equated to £3,800 per small business in the UK. Local government has been more successful in engaging SMEs, and there has been another breakthrough policy to benefit SMEs: Prompt payment. This ensures suppliers are paid within 30 days, something that didn’t exist before and was a big concern for SMEs, who tend to suffer from cash flow difficulties.

Types of contracts

While the industries that public sector contracts cover vary broadly, so do the contract types. The four main types to be aware of are:

  • Fixed-price contracts: These set a specific price for the work regardless of the actual costs incurred along the way
  • Cost-reimbursement contracts: This is where the government pays for all allowable expenses plus a fee
  • Time-and-materials contracts: Payment is made on an hourly bases with a given labor rate, as well as material costs
  • Indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ): These allow for unspecified quality of suppliers/services during a given period.
  • Management consultancy: these involve giving strategic advice and expertise to certain departments in the government. This may be within business development, but it could also be IT consultancy.
  • Research and development consultancy: these contracts are centered around innovative projects to help either inform government policy or develop new solutions. 

One example here is the recent NHS contract of £500 million, which comes in the form of a framework agreement for the supply of medical equipment. This type of contract allows multiple suppliers to be selected, giving flexibility to NHS trusts.

For technology, the Home Office issued a £100 million contract for cloud migration and support services. This shows that the government is interested in digital transformation, but cannot do it in-house.

These aren’t only large firms winning contracts. Elemental Energy, 6point6, and Learning Pool are three companies that continue to win countless government contracts, all of which have under 500 employees.

Free government tenders search

Tender searches are at the crux of businesses securing government contracts. By actively seeking them out (not passively), companies have the chance to stay ahead of their competition and position themselves as frontrunners. Government contracting is becoming faster-paced since its digitisation, and so the growing market requires firms to take searches seriously as it allows more time for preparation and research to create a compelling bid.

  • Contracts Finder: The official UK government website listing contracts over £10,000 from central government and £25,000 from wider public sector organisations.
  • Public Contracts Scotland: For opportunities specific to Scottish public bodies.
  • Sell2Wales: Dedicated to Welsh public sector contracts.
  • IntelApp: The only platform offering free access to government tenders, allowing businesses of all sizes to find opportunities without fronting a cost

While the official Contracts Finder page does have the full listings, it’s somewhat rudimentary and it’s what your competitors may well be using. To gain an advantage, using a user-friendly platform like IntelApp — or a paid alternative — can help create alerts and provide detailed analytics on government spending patterns. By utilising such a resource, you will have a first-mover advantage in terms of preparation.

Four tips on how to win a bid

Winning a government contract requires a strategic and measured approach. Below are three tips.

Understanding the evaluation criteria

Before writing your bid, it’s important to thoroughly review the tender document to fully understand how it will be scored. Most UK contracts are awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle. It considers both cost and quality together, which is known as value. Focusing on value by understanding the criterion can help you provide more purposeful and compelling evidence of your capabilities.

Leverage competitive intelligence

Strategic planning is crucial to outmaneuvering competitors and boosting your bid success rate. By using tools like IntelApp’s competitive intelligence, which analyses past contract awards and price trends, you can focus on identifying your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses and how to exploit them.

Demonstrate value for money

As mentioned, the government is increasingly focused on value for money – so don’t just use a low-cost strategy. While price is important, it’s important to show that your cost-saving measures can still provide high-quality results, or that your price is worth it for such innovation, and outline the benefits you specifically provide. Around 10% of marks in most contracts are now based on social value factors too (i.e. creating local jobs or reducing environmental impact), so this needs attention too.

Provide evidence

Back up the claims you make. This may be with a recent case study, statistical data showing recent performance (even better if it’s on previous contracts), testimonials from clients, and CVs of key team members. Don’t be verbose or long-winded when presenting this evidence, as it needs to be digested easily.

Winning contract bids is a tricky business, but it’s becoming increasingly achievable for SMEs thanks to a pivot in policy, lowering the time and costs of applications, and an explicit target to involve more SMEs.

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to miss rest of season with injury

Cian Cheesbrough
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Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson to miss rest of season with injury

Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson will miss the rest of the 2024 athletics season because of injury.

The 22-year-old, who stormed to gold in the 800m final at the Paris Games, had been set to compete in the Diamond League in Brussells in September.

Hodgkinson won all of her eight races in 2024, capped off by her spectacular triumph in the French capital earlier this month.

“No more races for me,” she posted on Instagram.

“Unfortunately I picked up a small injury, but we achieved everything I had hope to do this year, thank you for all the love and support.

“See you on the track next year.”

 

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Hodgkinson defended her European title earlier this year and broke her own national record by running one minute 54.61 seconds at the London Diamond League in July.

She has set her sights on breaking the 800m world record next year, a time of 1:53.28 which has stood for more than four decades.

Czech athlete Jarmila Kratochvilova ran that time at Munich’s Olympic Stadium in July 1983 and is yet to be beaten.

Hodgkinson said previously: “I think that record has stood for so long. It’s been a long time since anyone has hit [one minute] 53 seconds, so I’d love to do that. I think I can. I now believe I can do that.”

She will also compete for her first World Championship title in Tokyo in 2025.

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