Just like old times: June Wei (left) posing with former national teammate Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin, who is now coaching the Irish team with Yeoh Seng Zoe.
PETALING JAYA: Professional men’s singles shuttler Cheam June Wei has taken up a new role - as a sparring partner in Ireland and he is enjoying it.
While all eyes have been on the Asian Championships, June Wei has made his way to Dublin, where he is lending his expertise to Ireland’s top player, Nhat Nguyen, ahead of the ongoing European Championships in Horsens, Denmark.
June Wei expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, which came through his former national teammate, Iskandar Zulkarnain Zainuddin and Yeoh Seng Zoe, who is now coaching the Irish team.
For June Wei, the invitation presented a unique chance not only to help the Irish team but also to benefit from quality training alongside Nguyen, who is currently ranked No. 35 in the world.
June Wei views the experience as a win-win situation, with both sides gaining valuable insights.
As a result, Nguyen has made it to the quarter-finals of the European Championships and will now face seeded player Alex Lanier of France.
This achievement is a significant improvement for Nguyen compared to last year’s edition, where he was eliminated in the third round by another French player, Arnauld Merkle.
“It was a great experience training with the Ireland team. I had a good time preparing alongside their player, Nhat. Their association reached out and invited me to join them ahead of the European Championships, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to gain new experiences,” said June Wei when contacted.
This isn’t the first time June Wei has been invited to train overseas. Previously, he had the opportunity to train alongside Olympic champion Viktor Axelsen and 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew in Dubai in 2021.
After clinching the invitational Lin Dan Cup title last year, June Wei is still searching for his first breakthrough of the season.
He has endured a disappointing start to the year, having crashed out in the first round of all four tournaments he has competed in so far.
His most recent outing at the China Masters in Ruichang last month also ended in defeat, falling to home player Dong Tianyao.
