‘Cool’ Turkish gunner unfazed by Paris noise
Silver medallists Turkey's Sevval Ilayda Tarhan (L) and Yusuf Dikec from the shooting 10m air pistol mixed team event pose before the Eiffel Tower at the Champions Park at Trocadero during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 31, 2024.
Miguel MEDINA / AFP
PARIS, France (AFP) — A Turkish Olympic shooting silver medalist said he was unfazed by his new-found fame, after his casual style with no headwear and a hand in his pocket made him an overnight Internet sensation.
Yusuf Dikec and partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan won silver on Tuesday for Turkey in the mixed team 10m air pistol, losing to Serbia in the gold medal match.
But it was Dikec’s posture that caught attention as much as the result, with the marksman wearing standard glasses, a team T-shirt and with his left hand casually slung in his pocket.
Other than his pistol, he notably had none of the specialized equipment used by athletes in the hyper-precise event, like headphones, special lenses or a hat.
“Be cool like Yusuf Dikec. Congratulations on winning the silver medal in such a cool way,” France’s embassy to Turkey wrote in a post on X in Turkish.
“The name’s Dikec. Yusuf Dikec,” said posts by other users in reference to cinema icon James Bond. Some memes added a cigarette to his mouth to emphasize the relaxed posture.
Speaking to Turkish channel TGRT Haber, Dikec acknowledged that he had adopted the rare technique of shooting with both eyes open whereas most athletes keep one closed or obscured.