IT is a surprise really that men’s doubles Choong Tan Fook-Lee Wan Wah are headed for their third Olympic Games.

In badminton terms, the pair were late starters, only catching the eye after strong performances — albeit with different partners — in the 1994 Malaysia Games in Perak.

Tan Fook was then partnering Cheah Soon Thoe while Wan Wah was with Leong Kar Wai and the pairs were drafted into the national backup squad.

Shortly after, they were paired off and their adventure as a pair began and will culminate with a third Olympic appearance.

This means they will emulate Cheah Soon Kit as three-time Olympians but the similarity will stop there unless the pair win a medal.

Soon Kit, with partner Yap Kim Hock, remain Malaysia’s best ever Olympians by virtue of their 1996 Atlanta Olympics silver while Tan Fook-Wan Wah can only claim a semi-final appearance in Sydney four years later.

If anything, that is a bitter memory as they failed to even win a medal despite going into the Games as Malaysia’s best bets.

They lost to South Koreans Lee Dong Soo-Yoo Yong Sung in the semifinals and then lost the bronze playoff to another Korean pair — Hae Tae Kwon-Kim Dong Moon.

Dong Soo-Yong Sung returned to torment Tan Fook-Wan Wah in the 2004 Athens Olympics and this time, elimination was in the quarterfinals.

“The Sydney failure was hard to stomach but we learnt a valuable lesson — not to put too much pressure on ourselves,” said the 33-year-old Wan Wah.

“We are relaxed now and the worst is in the past and with experience, we hope to get it right this time.

“Taking it easy doesn’t mean that we are just going to Beijing for the sake of competing. Our objective is to win a medal as this will our last Olympics.

“We are likely to be seeded fourth but that is not a big advantage. There are several young pairs vying for medals but we know our chances are as good as theirs.” Tan Fook, on the other hand, will have an added boost in Beijing as he is to wed long-time girlfriend Zhang Jiewen of China after the Games.

Jiewen will be battling for her second Olympic gold with Yang Wei and Tan Fook feels that it would be fantastic if both can win medals.

“Winning a medal in the Olympics is the ultimate aim of every athlete. I have failed many times in major events but I’m not ready to do it this time,” said Tan Fook.

“The thing I hate the most is repeating mistakes but unfortunately, it has happened several times. But I have remained patient and we have enough experience to complete the unfinished job.”