O

ka Sulaksana will be back to the Asian Games to look for his third gold medal when the quadrennial Asian multi-event sporting showcase takes place in Incheon, South Korea next month. However, he will be launching his hunt for gold as a coach this time around.

Indonesia will compete in Incheon with 153 athletes in 23 sports, including two wind-surfers '€” I Gede Subagiasa and Hoiriyah '€” who are under Oka'€™s mentorship.

The athletes, who are currently undergoing training at a camp in Bali, will face tough challenges from other competitors, especially those from Hong Kong and Thailand.

But Oka said he was optimistic that his athletes would excel in the race, with Subagiasa being the team'€™s best medal prospect.

When asked what medal Subagiasa could win, Oka paused a moment before mentioning the most glittering prize.

'€œGold'€, he said. '€œFor Hoiriyah, we expect her to win a medal,'€ he added, speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural Merdeka International Open Regatta in Ancol, North Jakarta, at the weekend.

His caution about Hong Kong and Thailand'€™s potential spoilers was based on a series of tournaments in the lead-up to the Asian Games.

'€œAt the Hong Kong Open in February, Gede finished in second place behind Hong Kong while Thailand was third. In Thailand later it was the host who beat Gede to second place,'€ Oka said.

After competing in his last Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010, Oka decided to retire and turn to coaching.

'€œWe need his racing expertise to help Indonesian windsurfers win medals,'€ said Djoko Pramono, chairman of the Indonesian Sailing Association [Porlasi].

'€œI expect him to contribute his thoughts for the improvement of Indonesian sailing on the international level,'€ he said.

Oka participated in the Asian Games four times, with the first two games in Bangkok in 1998 and in Busan in 2002, each giving him a gold. After only bringing a bronze home from Doha in 2006, Oka decided to retire, but he could not reject a call-up to participate in a last race in Guangzhou, from where he went home with another bronze.

In his coaching role, Oka seems to try to be professional. At his training camp in Bali, the popular resort island in the eastern part of Indonesia, he also has two Korean trainees who are going to take part in the Asian Games.

'€œThey play in the mistral division like Subagiasa,'€ he said. He did not seem perturbed by the prospect of the Koreans ruining his prodigy'€™s chances. '€œLet'€™s see in the race who turns out to be best,'€ he said.

Oka is also expected to use his broad relations with fellow athletes around the world to promote the merits of Indonesian sailing.

The first three-day Merdeka International Open Regatta may have had only one participant from Japan, but event organizers are optimistic about the race prospects in the future.

'€œWe want to make it an annual event, as part of the commemoration of Indonesia'€™s anniversary,'€ Djoko said.

'€œWe had a lack of time for the preparations. Athletes from foreign countries could not compete because it clashed with other tournaments. We should give more time in advance for foreign participants to sort out their schedules,'€ he said.

The regatta also hosted a national championship with 88 participants from 16 provinces.

'€œMany fellow athletes are asking about the international event. They have expressed their interest to come,'€ Oka said.

The sailing association is hopeful that the international regatta can rejuvenate Indonesia'€™s sailing performance in the international arena.