CHATEAUROUX, France — Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has gained significant attention on social media for his relaxed demeanor while securing a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics.
Images of Dikec, casually shooting in a T-shirt with one hand in his pocket, wearing what seems to be ordinary glasses, and maintaining an emotionless expression, have been widely shared. Comparisons have been made likening him to an ordinary person or even a hitman competing at the Olympics.
Despite his laid-back appearance, the 51-year-old is an experienced athlete, having competed in every Summer Olympics since 2008.
Online memes have contrasted Dikec with his Serbian opponent Damir Mikec, who was equipped with a blinder over one eye, a lens over the other, and large ear defenders.
Dikec, along with Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, achieved a historic milestone by winning the silver medal in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event on Tuesday, marking Turkey’s first-ever Olympic medal in shooting. Serbia’s Mikec and Zorana Arunovic claimed the gold, while India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh took bronze.
Tarhan, Dikec’s teammate, competed wearing large ear defenders, a visor, and braids colored in the red and white of the Turkish flag, and she too had one hand in her pocket while shooting.
Dikec finished 13th in his individual event and is now focusing on the next Olympics in 2028. “I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal,” he said on Tuesday.
Regarding going viral, Dikec appears to be enjoying the attention, sharing a compilation of Turkish-language memes about him on his Instagram page.
The shooting events took place in Chateauroux, located about a three-hour drive south of Paris. Dikec and Tarhan traveled to the French capital on Wednesday, where they were celebrated by fans at Champions Park, an open-air venue for medalists.
Shooters at the Olympics have some discretion in how they dress for competition. Many opt for visors to minimize glare or blinders to improve focus. While it might have seemed that Dikec was not wearing any specialized gear, he did use yellow earplugs in the final to block out distractions, which were not visible in the viral images.
Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun also won gold wearing earplugs without a blinder or visor.
Other shooters have also gained viral attention at the 2024 Olympics. South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji’s confident demeanor and dramatic stance have been praised on social media for her “main character energy.” Kim won silver in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event, while her South Korean teammate Oh Ye Jin took gold. Kim and Oh, who are roommates, have expressed mutual admiration for each other’s achievements. Kim will compete again in the women’s 25-meter pistol event on Friday.