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Global Times: China’s badminton team eye gold sweep at Paris Olympics

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Earlier in May, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) unveiled the list of qualified participants for the Paris Olympics, with 173 athletes competing in five disciplines. The Chinese team is the only team in the world set to participate in all five events.
The only country ever to achieve a clean sweep of gold medals, accomplished at the 2012 Summer Olympics, China has been dominating badminton at the Summer Olympics.
However, their Olympics performances after London hit a slump, as Team China finished the Tokyo Olympics with only two gold and four silver medals, bouncing back from a lackluster Rio Olympics performance of two golds, one bronze in 2016.
However, lately the Chinese national team players showed quality form at the Thomas and Uber Cup finals, winning the two prestigious team titles for the first time in 12 years, raising hopes that the team could repeat the feat they accomplished at the London Olympics.
In this installment of the Road to Paris series, Global Times reporter Lu Wenao offers insight into the Chinese shuttlers squad that bears China’s gold medal hopes.
Winning the Thomas and Uber Cup finals was a confidence booster for the Chinese national badminton team’s Olympic campaign this year, Chinese Badminton Association chief Zhang Jun said, noting that the team looks ready to restore its pride in the sport. He stated that the national team’s goal for the Paris Olympics remains five gold medals, although there are strong competitors in every discipline.
Thomas Lund, secretary-general of the BWF, also told the Global Times that Team China players consistently perform well at the elite level and always provide strong competition for their opponents.
“China has tremendous badminton infrastructure and support networks to develop a deep talent pool across the country, which has constantly produced champions over many years,” Lund told the Global Times.
“In recent years, we have been fortunate to witness new champions emerging, and traditional powerhouses being tested to the limit.”
With a blend of seasoned champions and emerging stars, the team is well-equipped to tackle the challenges ahead.
Shi Yuqi: Men’s singles maestro
Shi Yuqi has emerged as a beacon of hope for China in men’s singles badminton now that aces Lin Dan and Chen Long have retired from the sport. Shi is now shouldering the responsibility of being the captain of the national team.
His journey to fame began at a young age, when he showcased his talent in various junior tournaments. By 2016, he had already started making waves on the senior circuit, culminating in a silver medal at the BWF World Championships in 2018.
Shi’s play style is characterized by his agility and tactical intelligence, which have often left his opponents scrambling. Despite facing injuries that hampered his progress, Shi’s ­resilience saw him bounce back to claim victory at the All England Open in 2018, one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
At the Thomas Cup held in Chengdu earlier in May, Shi contributed to the team’s success by winning all his six singles matches.
“Good performance comes from managing psychological challenges well,” Shi told the Global Times. “If you carry too much pressure and responsibility, it can ­actually hinder your performance. Honestly, there will definitely be pressure, but I think handling these mental hurdles well is something I’ve been doing ­effectively during this period.”
As he prepares for the Paris Olympics, Shi is determined to convert his past experiences into Olympic glory, aiming to add to China’s illustrious badminton legacy.
Chen Yufei: Women’s singles sensation
Chen Yufei’s crowning achievement came at the ­Tokyo Olympics, where she secured the gold medal, reaffirming China’s dominance in women’s singles. Her style of play, which combines relentless defense with strategic offense, has made her a formidable opponent on the court.
“My opponents always come at me with the mind-set of challenging me, and their mental state is often better than mine,” she told the Global Times, noting she had to make adjustments after initially struggling to adapt.
“Over the past year, I’ve been slowly adjusting. Now, I feel that every opponent has something I can learn from,” she noted.
The Olympic campaign undoubtedly presents many challenges, such as maintaining physical health and preparing for opponents’ targeted strategies. With this humble and modest attitude, Chen is tackling the challenges in her buildup toward the Paris Olympics.
“Although I’m not in the best condition right now, I’m still in the first tier. I need to be more confident. If I maintain a good physical condition, I think I still have a good chance to defend my title,” she said.
“But this process will definitely be very difficult, so it’s about taking things one step at a time and handling every detail in the process as I strive to achieve this goal,” she concluded.
As Chen heads to Paris, expectations are high for her to continue her winning streak and inspire a new generation of badminton enthusiasts in China.
Liang Weikeng &Wang Chang: Men’s doubles dynamos
The dynamic duo Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in men’s doubles have become household names in Chinese badminton. Both born in the early 2000s, their partnership began in their teenage years and quickly blossomed into one of the most formidable pair ups in international badminton.
Their breakthrough came at the 2021 world championships, where they secured a bronze medal, showcasing their potential on the global stage. Liang and Wang’s synergy on the court is their biggest asset, with their complementary playing styles allowing them to dominate their opponents.
“We have won championships, we’ve also been runners-up, and of course, there have been times when we didn’t perform well,” Wang said. “Experiencing failure helps us grow and teaches us how to handle future matches.”
Though many Chinese badminton fans are still skeptical of the pair’s consistency, their journey in the sport, now ranked at world No.2, has already inspired many young people to pick up a racket.
Chen Qingchen & Jia Yifan: Women’s doubles queens
Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan have established themselves as the queens of women’s doubles badminton. The pair, known as Fan-Chen domestically, began their partnership in their early teens and have since become one of the most successful pairs in the sport’s history.
Their journey to fame includes multiple titles, with notable victories at the world championships in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023. Their ability to anticipate each other’s moves and their relentless attack style have earned them numerous accolades.
“Whenever I step onto the court, I really want to win the game with my partner. The two of us are actually like one person. With such great pressure, there are only the two of us facing it on the court, and no one else can help us,” Chen said of her partnership with Jia.
“Before we go on court, we exchange a smile, a smile that only the two of us can understand at that moment. I think there won’t be a third person in this world who can understand our feelings at that moment, so this feeling is very precious.”
Jia said her partner Chen plays “like a spring.”
“The higher the pressure is, the higher she will bounce back. She is not someone who forsakes,” Jia said.
Though they suffered a bitter Olympic final defeat in Tokyo in 2021, the duo is currently sitting in first place in the women’s doubles ranking thanks to their dedication and unwavering determination.
Zheng Siwei & Huang Yaqiong: Mixed doubles magicians
Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong, China’s mixed doubles magicians, have captivated audiences with their seamless coordination and unmatched skill.
Both players boast impressive individual resumes, but it is their partnership that has truly made them stand out. Since teaming up in 2017, the pair, known as Ya-Si in China, have won numerous titles, including three world championships.
A Tokyo Olympics final defeat to teammates Wang Yilu and Huang Dongping has propelled the duo to continue honing their skills, both physically and mentally.
“Our mind-set is much better for this Olympics compared to the last one. Previously, we didn’t know what the Olympics would be like, so we prepared for the last Olympics by training intensely and aggressively,” Huang revealed.
“That approach wasn’t effective and led to injuries, which affected our training and competition. This time, we will maintain a calm mind-set. As we age, our recovery isn’t as quick as it was during the previous Olympics. We need to ensure we train with the highest quality within our capabilities.”
Their dynamic playing style, characterized by swift exchanges and powerful smashes, has made them a formidable force in mixed doubles badminton. As they head to the Paris Olympics, Zheng and Huang are determined to reinforce supremacy in the sport.
The post Global Times: China’s badminton team eye gold sweep at Paris Olympics appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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Sabio Group & Avaya helps Transcom eliminate language barriers in customer service with award-winning AI-powered real-time translation solution

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Transcom, a leading global customer service provider, has partnered with Avaya, a global leader in enterprise CX, and Sabio Group to create an award-winning AI-powered, real-time translation solution that can enable contact centre agents from anywhere in the world to converse with customers in over 100 languages.
The solution, underpinned by the Avaya Experience Platform and integrated by Sabio, an expert services partner specialising in CX transformation, represents a significant step forward for the BPO industry, enabling Transcom to recruit agents based on their knowledge, rather than their language skills. This creates new levels of scalability when it comes to building skilled workforces capable of delivering outstanding CX.
“In our industry, it is sometimes challenging to recruit enough agents to support all our global markets. And if we do, it’s often costly to hire and retain them. Working with Avaya and Sabio, we’re empowering agents around the world to offer high-quality customer service in every required language for our clients,” said Jakob Westgren, Senior VP – Head of IT Products and Partners, Transcom.
The solution integrates real-time translation and conversational AI tools with an Avaya Experience Platform contact centre core. Speech-to-text and text-to-speech AI technology are paired with multiple translation engines and custom dictionaries to create real-time voice translation, eliminating language barriers between agents and customers.
“The open APIs present in Avaya Experience Platform enabled us to integrate what we call the Transcom Translation framework. This means that, when deployed, the solution is seamlessly integrated into core business, customer experience​,​ and operational quality assurance processes. This technology integration, with such an obvious real-world outcome, really becomes a differentiator,” said Westgren.
In addition, Transcom – which earlier this week picked up the ‘Best Use of AI Award’ at the international GITEX Global conference in Dubai for the project with Avaya and Sabio – estimates that the solution can provide clients serving customers in multiple languages with a significantly reduced total cost of ownership. “With real-time voice translation, we believe we can reduce costs for these types of clients by 25%, or as much as 65%, depending on the use cases and markets,” said Westgren.
Cameron Thomson, Group Vice President – EMEA, Avaya, said: “This is an exciting solution leveraging the power of AI, and open platform APIs, to eliminate language barriers between agents and customers. As a result it’s changing the BPO game, and we couldn’t be more proud to be supporting that transformation.”
Rob Scutchings, Chief Technology Officer at Sabio, added: “This market-leading – and now award-winning – solution showcases the transformative power of AI. By integrating cutting-edge speech transcription and real-time language translation capabilities with Avaya’s robust platform, we’re not just breaking down language barriers – we’re redefining the possibilities of global customer service.
“This project exemplifies Sabio’s commitment to driving CX transformation through innovative technology integration. We’re thrilled to collaborate with both Transcom and Avaya on this initiative, which we believe marks the beginning of a strategic partnership where Sabio is the ‘go-to partner’ for these kinds of high-value technology enhancements.
“Our expertise in CX transformation, combined with Transcom’s industry leadership and Avaya’s advanced platform, creates a powerful synergy that will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in customer service delivery.”
The solution deployed by Transcom is on display at Avaya’s stand at GITEX Global 2024. Avaya’s participation in GITEX Global comes in partnership with Sestek and Cognigy, as well as additional technology partners.
Avaya and Sabio are hosting a webinar alongside Transcom on Tuesday, October 22nd which will take a deep dive into the real-time translation project.
The post Sabio Group & Avaya helps Transcom eliminate language barriers in customer service with award-winning AI-powered real-time translation solution appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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Hugues Péribère of Overseed Named in the 2024 Business Worldwide Magazine CEO Awards

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Hugues Péribère, CEO of Overseed, has been named CEO of the Year in Europe’s Biopharmaceutical Industry in the 2024 Business Worldwide CEO Awards.
Internationally acclaimed for celebrating the most esteemed C-level executives, the awards recognise outstanding leaders across a wide range of industries. The focus is on the visionaries—CEOs, Managing Directors, and senior managers—whose leadership drives their organisations to success.
Péribère’s achievement highlights his exemplary work in leading Overseed, a pioneering force in France’s biopharmaceutical landscape, particularly in medical cannabis production. Under his leadership, Overseed has emerged as a frontrunner in the development of pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis in France. With expertise in genetics, agronomy, and pharmaceutical chemistry, Overseed is set to become the first French manufacturer of 100% cannabis-based medicines, helping to shape the future of healthcare as France prepares for the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2025.
Péribère, an agronomic engineer with a strong background in managing specialised plant cultivation across Europe, founded Overseed in 2020. His deep understanding of supply chains, geopolitical and climatic issues related to production, and the medical benefits of cannabis has positioned Overseed as a key player in addressing critical public health needs through innovative cannabinoid treatments.
The company is dedicated to producing high-quality, pharmaceutical-grade cannabinoid products that meet the needs of patients suffering from conditions such as chemotherapy side effects, multiple sclerosis, and neuropathic pain. By focusing on national sovereignty and producing its treatments within France, Overseed ensures reliable patient access and mitigates risks of supply chain disruptions.
“Overseed is not just about responding to market demands; we are building an industry that will serve the public health of France for years to come,” said Péribère. “This award reflects our team’s commitment to advancing medical research and setting a high standard for cannabinoid-based therapies.”
Overseed has been a leader in research and development since 2021, when it became the first company to receive R&D authorization for the cultivation of Cannabis sativa L. in France. The company’s partnerships with institutions such as the CNRS/CBM and the University Hospital of Orléans have enabled critical research into expanding the therapeutic use of cannabis.
With plans to further scale its operations, Overseed is set to meet the growing demand for medical cannabis as legalisation approaches. Overseed’s diverse product portfolio, including CBD- and THC-dominant oils, will address the specific needs of patients suffering from conditions approved for medical cannabis treatment.
To learn more about Overseed’s journey and its pioneering work in medical cannabis production, visit www.overseed.fr.
Further information about the Business Worldwide CEO Awards can be found at https://www.bwmonline.com/2024-ceo-awards-winners/
The post Hugues Péribère of Overseed Named in the 2024 Business Worldwide Magazine CEO Awards appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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The Readyverse Debuts AI Tool “Promptopia” for Limitless Creativity in Gaming

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Readyverse Studios, a leading next-gen game publisher, proudly unveils Promptopia, an AI-powered generative creation tool that brings unmatched creative possibilities to the digital world. Making its debut at the Blockworks tech conference Permissionless III, Promptopia is an innovative sandbox experience where players can bring their imaginations to life by creating game-ready objects, environments, music, and more with the simplest of text prompts.
Unlocking  a new level of digital creativity, Promptopia combines multiplayer gameplay with real-time AI asset generation allowing users to build, share, and play in a world shaped by their own ideas. By harnessing the latest in AI technology, Promptopia shatters the boundaries between creators and players, transforming anyone into a game designer with ease.

Promptopia provides players with limitless creative freedom, integrating AI tools in real time to generate 3D assets and environments within The Readyverse platform, which already includes a variety of globally recognized IP, such as Reebok, Cool Cats, DeLorean and Ready Player One. From stunning scenery to interactive objects, Promptopia opens a world of possibilities in a social, collaborative virtual environment. 
“Promptopia is a new experimental game experience that allows us to see how generative AI and game mechanics can come together in interesting ways,” said Readyverse Studios Co-Founders Aaron McDonald and Shara Senderoff. “Promptopia builds the groundwork for the UGC experience in The Readyverse. We’re giving players the ability to make what’s in their mind an immediate reality, and have prompt engineering become part of a deeper immersive gameplay experience. We’ve prioritized creativity and fun at the core so the interactive user experience can be appreciated by every gamer as they bring their imaginations to life through gameplay. It’s a blank canvas waiting for your ideas to be incorporated.”
While many tech giants are exploring the possibilities of AI, Promptopia from Readyverse Studios sets a new standard by offering an unparalleled level of integration within gameplay. As part of The Readyverse ecosystem, and using the novel “Altered State” generative 3D model developed by Futureverse and music AI platform Jen, players can generate real-time, game-ready assets, environments, and soundtracks through simple text prompts. Promptopia is designed to democratize game creation, allowing anyone to become a creator regardless of their technical skill level.
The post The Readyverse Debuts AI Tool “Promptopia” for Limitless Creativity in Gaming appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.

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