Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has gained significant attention on social media due to his laid-back demeanor while clinching a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics.
The most widely circulated image features Dikec shooting in a T-shirt with one hand tucked into his pocket, sporting a basic pair of glasses and a blank expression.
He has been compared to an everyday person competing at the Olympics, or even a hitman.
At 51 years old, this former officer in the Turkish Gendarmerie is not new to the scene; he has participated in every Summer Olympics since 2008.
Some memes have highlighted the contrast between Dikec and his Serbian competitor Damir Mikec, who donned a blinder over one eye, a lens over the other, and oversized ear defenders.
Yusuf Dikec – a Turkish air pistol competitor – has the internet joking about his relaxed pose
The 52-year-old participated in his fifth Olympics with his shooting partner Sevval Ilayd Tarhan
Did Dikec win a medal?
Yes, and it was historic.
Dikec and Sevval Illayd Tarhan earned the silver medal in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event on Tuesday, marking Turkey’s first-ever medal in Olympic shooting.
Gold was secured by Mikec and Zorana Arunovic of Serbia, while the bronze was claimed by India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh.
Unlike Dikec, his teammate Tarhan competed in large ear defenders and a visor, adorned with braids in the red and white of the Turkish flag. She also shot with one hand pocketed.
Dikec placed 13th in his individual event and has concluded his participation in the Paris Olympics. However, he is looking forward to the next Games in 2028.
‘I hope to win a gold medal in Los Angeles next,’ he stated on Tuesday. ‘We are among the best pistol teams.’
Dikec and Tarhan won Turkey’s first-ever Olympic medal in the 10-meter air pistol shooting
What does he think about going viral?
Dikec appears to be enjoying the attention, sharing a compilation video of Turkish-language memes about him on his Instagram account.
The shooting events took place around a three-hour drive south of Paris. Dikec and Tarhan traveled to the French capital on Wednesday, where they received a warm welcome at Champions Park, an open-air venue where medalists celebrate with their fans.
‘I didn’t expect such a level of recognition,’ he remarked to Turkish media upon his arrival in the country on Thursday.
‘Since I shoot with both eyes open, I find the equipment quite uncomfortable.’
Dikec’s cool demeanor in Paris saw him return to Turkey with a hero’s welcome (seen on Thur.)
Why didn’t Dikec wear more gear?
Shooters have the option to choose their attire for competitions.
Many competitors at the Olympics in Chateauroux, central France, opted for visors to minimize glare or blinders over one eye to enhance focus for the sighting eye.
It’s not entirely accurate to say Dikec wasn’t wearing any shooting gear. He had on yellow earplugs to minimize distractions during the final, though they were not visible in the viral image.
Similar to Dikec, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun achieved a gold medal on Thursday while wearing earplugs but without a blinder or visor.
Dikec (seen in 2017) doesn’t like to wear anything else but yellow earplugs while shooting
Have other shooters gone viral at the 2024 Olympics?
Indeed, South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji’s confident stance and dramatic poise have also garnered social media acclaim for her ‘main character energy.’
‘The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed,’ the official Olympics account on X tweeted Thursday alongside images of Kim and Dikec.
Kim earned silver in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event, finishing behind her South Korean teammate Oh Ye Jin. Kim expressed happiness for Oh’s gold medal, referring to her as a ‘younger sibling.’
Kim is scheduled to compete again on Friday in the women’s 25-meter pistol qualification round.
South Korean pistol shooters Kim Yeji (L) and Oh Ye Jin have also gone viral for their cold looks
