AS far as Tan Boon Heong is concerned, the past is best forgotten and what matters is how he and partner Koo Kien Keat perform in the London Olympics.
The pair, once touted as potential world and Olympic champions, have seen their career go off track in recent times but after two highly impressive matches at the Wembley Arena, hopes are high that a medal is within their reach.
They produced another high quality performance at the Wembley Arena yesterday to send former world champions Howard Bach-Tony Gunawan of the United States packing, needing only 24 minutes to win 21-12, 21-14.
Though there are tougher challenges awaiting -- South Korean nemesis pair Chung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae are their final group D opponents and the knockout stages will see other bigs guns in the fray -- Kien Keat-Boon Heong are a picture of confidence at the Wembley Arena.
Coach Tan Kim Her believed he knew the reason why.
"The training stint in Bath was just what they needed. There were no distractions and they could train without losing focus," said Kim Her.
The players agreed but said their determination to deliver, having been heavily criticised for their failures of the past, was a major driving force.
"We have forgotten the past and are only focused on one thing -- doing well in the Olympics. We are not there yet but the last two matches have boosted our confidence," said Boon Heong.
"We know that we have not done well for some time now but we are determined to give it our best shot and so far, we are on track."
Kien Keat said having sealed their place in the quarter-finals, the same stage they exited in Beijing four years ago, they were determined to better that.
"We are playing well and now that we are in the quarter-finals, it doesn't matter who we play. To win, we will have to beat the best and that is what we are focused on," said Kien Keat.
In the men's singles China's Chen Long showed he was a player in form after beating Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana 21-12, 21-17, which included coming from 12-16 down in the second game of the Group E clash to triumph.
Chen Long celebrated with a fist pump and the message was undoubtedly for Lee Chong Wei, who he is drawn to meet in the semi-finals.
Indonesia's Simon Santoso, expected to be Chong Wei's second round opponent, opened his Group B campaign with a 21-12, 21-18 win over Estonian opponent Raul Must while South Korea's Lee Hyun Il easily beat Virgil Soeroredjo of Surinam 21-12, 21-7.
In the mixed doubles, a window of opportunity opened for Malaysia's Chan Peng Soon-Goh Liu Ying after Thailand's Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam beat Taiwan's Chen Hung Ling-Cheng Wen Hsing 21-15, 21-16.
The Malaysians had lost their opening Group D tie to the Taiwanese on Saturday and faced a do-or-die situation against China's Xu Chen-Ma Jinin a late match yesterday.
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