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An early exit from last month’s Asian Games gave beach volleyball player Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro enough motivation to do well in the continent’s next multi-sport tournament.

This time, however, he will be competing without his regular playing partner.

Koko is part of Indonesia’s 113-strong contingent to the Asian Beach Games in Muscat, Oman. For the first time in four years, though, Koko will hit the sand without Andy Ardiansyah.

Andy is scheduled to attend a ceremony inaugurating new civil servants in the country, leaving Koko to pair up with Dian Putra Santosa in the nine-day Asian Beach Games which open today.

“I’ve no idea how this is going to play out,” Koko said before leaving for Muscat last week.

“Yes, I’ve practiced with [Dian] during training camp, but this is the first time I’m playing with him in an international competition.”

The 29-year-old still has not moved on from his and Andy’s failure to win a medal in the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

The Indonesians were ousted in the quarterfinals, where they lost 21-19, 21-12 to the Japanese duo of Kentaro Asahi and Katsuhiro Shiratori.

“I was really frustrated at the time. Now, I just have to focus very hard in Oman,” Koko said.

Indonesia has claimed one medal in beach volleyball over the last three editions of the Asian Games.

Despite that, Indonesian Olympic Committee official Djoko Pramono said he still has confidence in Koko and Dian.

“They’re our top medal hopes in Muscat, and let’s hope they do meet our expectations,” he said.

Besides beach volleyball, Indonesia is also relying on its bodybuilders and windsurfer I Gusti Made Oka Sulaksana for medals.

Bodybuilders Asrelawandi and Syafrizaldi won gold medals during the inaugural Asian Beach Games in Bali in 2008.

Oka, who also earned gold at the Bali Games, bagged a silver in the Guangzhou Asiad.

Indonesians will also compete in beach football, beach handball, beach kabaddi, beach sepak takraw, beach water polo, beach woodball, jetskiing, marathon swimming and waterskiing.

With 23 gold medals, Indonesia finished atop the overall medal table during the 2008 Asian Beach Games.

Thailand and China finished second and third, respectively.