Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has gone viral on social media for his relaxed demeanor while securing a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics. The most-shared images show Dikec shooting in a T-shirt with one hand in his pocket, wearing standard glasses, and maintaining an impassive look. He has been humorously likened to a regular guy at the Olympics, or even a hitman.
Despite his laid-back appearance, the 51-year-old Dikec is a seasoned competitor, having participated in every Summer Olympics since 2008.
Dikec and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan won the silver medal in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event on Tuesday, marking Turkey’s first-ever medal in Olympic shooting. Mikec and Zorana Arunovic claimed gold for Serbia, while India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh took bronze.
Dikec finished 13th in his individual event and is now looking ahead to the 2028 Games. “I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal,” he said on Tuesday. Embracing his newfound fame, Dikec reposted a video compilation of Turkish-language memes about him on his Instagram page.
The shooting events were held around three hours’ drive south of Paris. Dikec and Tarhan traveled to the French capital on Wednesday, where they were greeted with cheers at Champions Park, an open-air venue where medalists celebrate with fans.
Shooters have some freedom in their dress code for competitions. While many at the Olympic range in Chateauroux, central France, wear visors or blinders to reduce glare and improve focus, Dikec wore yellow earplugs to block out distractions, which were not visible in the viral images. Similarly, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun won a gold medal on Thursday wearing earplugs but no blinder or visor.
Other shooters have also gone viral at the 2024 Olympics. South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji’s confident demeanor and dramatic stance have garnered praise on social media for her “main character energy.” The official Olympics account on X posted pictures of Kim and Dikec, calling them the “Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.”
Kim won silver in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event on Sunday, finishing behind her South Korean teammate Oh Ye Jin. Kim and Oh are roommates, and Kim expressed her happiness for Oh’s victory, describing her as a “youngest sibling.” Kim is set to compete again on Friday in the qualification for the women’s 25-meter pistol event.
(Source: AP)
