Oka mystified by recurring migraine
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Tanjung Lesung, Banten
His physical performance is typical of a windsurfer: a strongly built body with dark skin and slightly reddish hair that has obviously been exposed to his day-to-day activity at sea.
His eyes make him look like an Oriental, probably because he has to endure the glowing sun's rays all day long.
Oka Sulaksana is already 31 years old, which signals he probably has just a few more years before he retires from surfing.
Despite his growing age, Oka proves he is still the country's number one surfer on whom Indonesia will be relying its medal prospects in the sailing competition at the upcoming Asian Games.
Oka has high hopes in Busan, South Korea, where the Asian Games will take place from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14, that he can defend the medal gold he won in Bangkok four years ago.
Apart from his high expectation, the Bali-based athlete looks worried about his chances due to a mysterious recurring migraine.
It dates back a few months before the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Oka recalls that he suffered acute pain in the head, particularly when training hard.
"I used to train for around four hours a day. Now, such long hours gives me a headache," he told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the National Windsurfing Circuit at Tanjung Lesung in Banten Province, which ended last Sunday
"I have had numerous medical checkups. I can't remember how many. But the pain persists," he said.
"When the pain comes, I usually take pills to appease the pain," he said, mentioning a few kind of pills commonly sold at small stands.
He said he had also consulted Carmen Yahya, a medical official of the National Sports Council (KONI). "But there was no change," he said, with desperation.
Oka lived up to expectations by winning the men's Mistral division at the Tanjung Lesung event, which he considers more of a relaxing outing after his routine activities in Bali.
Around 100 athletes, including a number of Indonesian-based expatriate surfers, joined the competition, co-organized by the Tanjung Lesung Sailing Club and the country's sailing governing body, Porlasi.
While his place in the Asian Games is virtually safe, Fadly Faisal of South Sulawesi and Gde Subagiasa of Bali, who both turned up at the Sunday's event, are likely to join Oka for the Korean trip but will have to wait for the completion of at least one of the other three legs planned in the circuit.
Oka, who finished 16th in Sydney, is looking to check out his rivals at the Asian Games by taking part at the Spa Regatta in the Netherlands next May.
"I hear that Japan's ace Kenzo (Motokazu) will be turning up there. Other strong contenders from other Asian countries like Hong Kong, host South Korea and China, will also join the competition," Oka said.
Kenzo was silver medalist at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.
Porlasi has also set aside a plan for Oka to train under a foreign coach ahead of the games. To enable him to adapt to the local climate, he will set up a training camp in Busan as early as one and half months prior to the event.
However, Oka will have to find the cause of his nagging migraine, or he may face a setback in Busan.
Asked how he would rate his chances if the pain persisted until the games, Oka said: "What more can I say. I'll just try my best".