Who is the Turkish shooter gone viral in social media? What we know about Yusuf Dikec

For kids, heroes wear capes and masks; they are strong and invincible. But for Olympics fans, their hero wears a Turkey jersey and lenses and has his hands in his pockets while performing.

It is difficult to leave your mark as an Olympic athlete at the level that Yusuf Dikec has done. The 51-year-old Turk became a sensation on social media for his shooting style during the mixed team’s air pistol competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, without the ear defenders and devices his rivals used: just some yellow earplugs, standard vision lenses, and one hand in his pocket.

Dikec has left the image of being a “regular guy” in a world where Olympic athletes are on a pedestal. However, he is not a newcomer since these are his fifth Olympic Games!

Has Yusuf Dikec won a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

Born on January 1, 1973, in Tasoluk, Turkey, Yusuf Dikec is a retired non-commissioned officer of the Turkish Gendarmerie. In 2001, he began his career as a shooter, alternating between the military and national teams.

His first Olympic participation was in the 2008 Beijing Games, and it was not until this year’s edition that he won his first Olympic medal. Dikec won the silver medal alongside his Turkish teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan. As if that was not enough to go viral, the 51-year-old athlete also made history, as this was the first medal in Turkey’s history in this discipline.

“I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal,” said Dikec after taking the silver with him. Regarding his characteristic hand-in-pocket gesture, the athlete said: “Shooting with your hand in your pocket has nothing to do with art. I am more motivated and feel more comfortable while shooting. It consists of balancing the body and centering and concentrating”.