Cash problem may deter Oka's chance<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Financial shortage may spoil national windsurfer
\nOka Sulaksana's chance of a medal in the 2000 Olympic Games in
\nSydney in September.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Yachting and Windsurfing Association (Porlasi)
\nofficial in charge of athletes development, Raymond Kotambunan,
\nsaid on Monday Oka needed around Rp 700 million (US$94,000) to
\nhire a foreign coach, to compete in a series of windsurfing
\ncompetitions in Europe to improve his world rankings and to live
\nin Sydney for three months for climatic adjustment ahead of the
\nOlympics.<\/p>\n
He said Oka ranked 81st in the world after competing in four
\nout of seven competitions in the last two years.<\/p>\n
\"If he can improve his world ranking and join the world's top
\n30, he has a greater chance of medals in the Olympics. He can
\nimprove his ranking if he competes in Europe, because about 70
\npercent of the world's top 30 windsurfers will test their skills
\nthere before competing in the Olympics,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The competitions will be held from April to June in Spain,
\nFrench, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. Earlier, Oka is
\nscheduled to compete in the World Windsurfing Championships in
\nArgentina from Feb. 10 to Feb. 20.<\/p>\n
Oka, the 1998 Asian Games gold medalist in the IMCO heavy
\ndivision in Thailand, finished 13th in his Olympic debut in
\nAtlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n
Raymond said that Oka would compete in the 15th National Games
\n(PON) in Surabaya, East Java, should he miss the European
\ncompetition series, but he added that staying in Sydney for
\nclimatic adjustment was a must for Oka.<\/p>\n
\"There are no major competitions from July to September so
\nthat top windsurfers can spend time in Sydney. Oka must follow
\nthis practice because he needs to adjust himself to the local
\nclimate and waves,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that Porlasi had asked for financial support from the
\nNational Sports Council (KONI) but it had yet to respond. \"We are
\nwaiting for solutions to our plight.\"<\/p>\n
He said Oka found his own sponsors to fund his prequalifying
\nround for the Olympics last year: A group of foreign
\nbusinesspeople, led by an Australian national called Mark
\nKeating, who live in Oka's homeland of Bali<\/p>\n
He said Oka was now training using a physical program devised
\nby world-class windsurfing coach Amith Inbar of Israel, who
\nsupervised Oka's training when he competed in the World
\nChampionships in Noumea, New Caledonia, last November.<\/p>\n
Porlasi has delayed its plan to hire the coach because it can
\nnot afford to pay his fees of $1,500 a week. Raymond said that
\nOka was now training with local coaches.<\/p>\n
Separately, Antara reported that Oka won the fun race division
\nat the three-day Aerowisata Windsurfing Challenge (AWC) 2000 at
\nSemawang beach in Sanur, Bali, which ended on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Second was Chua Rickson of Singapore, followed by Ikeda
\nYoshitaka of Japan. Australian top windsurfer, Radis Robbie,
\ncould only finish tenth.(ivy)<\/p>",
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