Firearms, understandably, must be handled with great care. Thus, it comes as a surprise that one of the world’s top marksmen approaches his discipline as if it were a relaxed stroll in the park.
Instead of the advanced equipment used by many of his fellow Olympians in Paris this year, Turkey’s Yusuf Dikeç participated in a loose-fitting T-shirt, casually with one hand in his pocket, and sporting eyewear that appeared to have come from a bargain bin at a local optician’s.
Turkey sent a 51-year-old guy with no specialized lenses, eye cover, or ear protection, and secured the silver medal pic.twitter.com/fLxTUxMd2j
— Adrian Dittmann (@AdrianDittmann) July 31, 2024
Despite his street-style appearance, the 51-year-old has been a competitor in every Olympic Games since 2008, is a two-time world champion, and this week won the silver medal in mixed team 10m air pistol alongside Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, marking Turkey’s first-ever Olympic shooting medal.
Dikeç’s unconventional attire sparked memes comparing him to his Serbian competitor, Damir Mikec, who donned a blinder over one eye, a lens on the other, and a substantial pair of ear defenders.
In Olympic shooting, they use equipment like:
> A lens to avoid blur
> A lens for better precision
> Ear protectors for noiseThen a Turkish guy (Dikeç) came and won a silver medal with just a pair of GLASSES. pic.twitter.com/tobbeIifiS
— Turkish Archives (@TurkishArc) July 31, 2024
In competitive shooting, participants have leeway in their attire. While Dikeç may seem gear-less, he did wear yellow earplugs, which were not always visible in photographs, to eliminate distractions during the final.
Similar to Dikeç, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun clinched a gold medal on Thursday while wearing earplugs, but opted against a blinder or visor.
