PETALING JAYA: For some, the Lin Dan Cup may be seen merely as an exhibition tournament hosted by the former world legend.
But for professional men’s singles shuttler Cheam June Wei, it is a valuable platform to boost his earnings after he captured the title for the third time on Sunday (Aug 24).
June Wei battled past home favourite Wu Kai An 11-15, 15-13, 15-9 in the final in Jincheng, China.
Earlier, Kai An had beaten another Malaysian, Aidil Sholeh Ali Sadikin, in the semi-finals.
“This is my third time winning the title. I won it twice last year, and this is my first one for 2025. It was not an easy feat as I faced a very tough opponent who pushed me all the way.
“On top of that, the semi-final was played in the morning while the final took place in the afternoon, so I had to keep both my body and fighting spirit in top condition. I’m very happy to win this title,” said June Wei when contacted.
As champion, June Wei pocketed 200,000 yuan (RM120,000). In total, he has collected around 700,000 yuan (about RM420,000) from his victories in the Shenzhen and Macau legs last year and now Jincheng.
“This is one of the platforms for me as an independent player. We have the freedom to choose any tournament we want to compete in.
“Whether it is the Lin Dan Cup or a BWF-sanctioned tournament, as long as we can play and win prize money, that is my main priority to continue surviving as a professional," added June Wei, who left the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) in 2021.
Apart from June Wei, several other Malaysians also featured in the tournament, including men’s doubles pair Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin and mixed doubles player Lai Pei Jing, who partnered Chia Wei Jie.
They turned out for Shenmu Yuyue in the mixed team event and helped the side edge Team Greater China 2-1.
The Lin Dan Cup, which was launched in 2020 by the Chinese legend, attracted 900 players from 11 countries this year, featuring three events – men’s singles, mixed team and junior competitions.
