Recently at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a Turkish air pistol shooter become a social media sensation overnight. This happened after he and his partner won a silver medal. What caught everyone’s attention was his use of no gear, other than his prescription glasses and earplugs. Let’s take a deeper look at who the Turkish shooter with overflowing ‘aura’ exactly is.
Who is the Turkish shooter at Paris Olympics?
The Turkish shooter is 51-year old Yusuf Dikec.
On Tuesday, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Yusuf Dikec and his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan bagged the silver medal for Turkey in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event. His casual attitude at the event, without any special shooting gear is what made him go viral. Viewers took to social media, sharing a picture of him in a shooting stance, with just his glasses, earplugs and other hand in his pocket.
This was reportedly his fifth appearance at the Olympic games, and his first win ever. Other shooters could be seen with specialized glasses and heavier ear protectors, however, Dikec didn’t need any of that. Usually shooters have lenses for the purpose of enhanced precision and avoiding blurry vision. Previously, he also became a double world champion by winning at the 25m standard pistol and the 25m center fire pistol events at the World Championships in 2014.
At this final event of the 10m mixed team air pistol shooting, Turkey went head to head against Serbia. Yusuf Dikec and his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan lost to Serbian shooters Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec by just 2 points in the final. Additionally Indian shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjhot Singh placed third and took home the bronze.
Dikec was not the only one to have caught the internet’s attention. Apart from him, another South Korean sharpshooter, Kim YeJi, went viral due to her style and appearance at the women’s 10m air pistol event. She placed second and took home the silver medal. Posts all over social media praised her for her “main character energy.” Even Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to write, “She should be cast in an action movie. No acting required!”
