Images circulating on social media show Dikec shooting with one hand in his pocket, wearing a simple T-shirt, glasses, and a stoic expression. Despite his casual appearance, the 51-year-old is a seasoned Olympian, having participated in every Summer Olympics since 2008.
Dikec and his teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan made history by winning Turkey‘s first-ever Olympic medal in shooting, securing the silver in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event on Tuesday.Serbia’s Damir Mikec and Zorana Arunovic claimed the gold, while India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh took the bronze.
Unlike Dikec, Tarhan competed with ear defenders, a visor, and braids in the colours of the Turkish flag, while also shooting with one hand in her pocket.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Dikec expressed his hope for a gold medal. He said , “I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal”.
He has embraced his newfound internet fame, sharing a compilation of Turkish-language memes about himself on his Instagram page. The shooting events took place in Chateauroux, central France, and the medallists were greeted with cheers at the Champions Park in Paris on Wednesday.
Shooters have some flexibility in their attire during competition, with many opting for visors to reduce glare or blinders to improve focus.
Although not immediately visible, Dikec was wearing yellow earplugs to minimise distractions during the final. Similarly, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun won a gold medal on Thursday wearing earplugs but no blinder or visor.
South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji has also garnered attention on social media for her confident demeanor and dramatic stance, with the official Olympics account on X praising both Kim and Dikec as “The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.”
Here are a few viral tweets on Yusuf Dikec:
A social media user compared him to Hollywood movie character ‘John Wick’ for his natural shooting skills.
Another user wrote, ” South Korea sent fully dressed shooter and Turkey sent a 51 years old In T Shirt hand in pocket while shooting And Turkish guy got silver Medal”.
Another user wrote, “girls packing for a trip vs guys packing for a trip” referring to Yusuf Dikec casual style.
Another user wrote, “I think I’m gonna have to take a closer look at the Olympic Pistol competition First we got South Korean Kim Yeji. Who’s a total badass. Then comes Turkish competitor Yusuf Dikeç. Who casually goes out and wins the Silver with one hand in his pocket!”
Meanwhile, India’s Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian (post-independence) to win two Olympic medals in a single edition of the Olympic games.