Turkish Olympian Goes Viral for Casual Shooting Style
Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has gone viral on social media for his seemingly casual attitude while shooting his way to a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics.
The most-shared photos show Dikec shooting in a T-shirt with one hand in his pocket, a seemingly normal pair of glasses and a casual look on his face. Apart from earplugs to block out the sound around him, he had no special equipment.
The 51-year-old is no newcomer, though. He's competed at every Summer Olympics since 2008 — and this year, he won a medal.
Dikec and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan won the silver medal in mixed team 10-meter air pistol shooting. It was Turkey's first-ever medal in Olympic shooting.
Shooters have some freedom in how they dress for competition.
Many shooters at the Olympic range in Chateauroux, central France, choose to wear visors to reduce the glare of the lights or so-called "blinders" over one eye to get a better focus for the eye which is looking down the sight.
Unlike Dikec, his teammate Tarhan was competing with large ear muffs and a visor, as well as braids in the red and white colors of the Turkish flag. She was shooting with one hand in her pocket, too.
Dikec placed 13th in his individual event and is now done at the Paris Olympics. But apart from winning a medal, he has won the attention of millions of people around the world.
He seems to be embracing the trend, and posted a video of Turkish-language memes about him on his Instagram page.
Dikec told Turkish media that the pair's success came from hard work and preparation before the Games. He reportedly said that "success doesn't come with your hands in your pockets."
Anyone who's seen the viral photo, however, might disagree.
