Who is Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish shooter who went viral at the 2024 Olympics?

CHATEAUROUX, France (AP) — 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 images show Dikec shooting in a T-shirt with one hand in his pocket, a seemingly standard pair of glasses and an impassive look on his face. He’s been likened to a regular guy competing at the Olympics, or even a hitman.

The 51-year-old is no newcomer, though. He’s competed at every Summer Olympics since 2008.

Some memes contrast Dikec with his Serbian opponent Damir Mikec, who was wearing a blinder over one eye, a lens over the other and a large pair of ear defenders.

Did Dikec win a medal?

He did, and it made history.

Dikec and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan won the silver medal in mixed team 10-meter air pistol shooting Tuesday. It was Turkey’s first-ever medal in Olympic shooting.

Mikec and Zorana Arunovic won gold for Serbia. The bronze went to India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh.

Unlike Dikec, his teammate Tarhan was competing with large ear defenders 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 was 13th in his individual event and is now done at the Paris Olympics. He’s looking ahead to the next Games in 2028, though. “I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal,” he said Tuesday.

What does he think about going viral?

Dikec seems to be embracing the trend, reposting a video compilation of Turkish-language memes about him to his Instagram page.

The shooting events were held around three hours’ drive south of Paris. Dikec and Tarhan made the journey to the French capital Wednesday, where they were greeted with cheers at the Champions Park, an open-air venue where medalists celebrate with fans.

Why didn’t Dikec wear more gear?

Shooters have some freedom about 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 sights.

It’s not quite true that Dikec wasn’t wearing any shooting gear. He had yellow earplugs to block out distractions while he shot in the final. They just weren’t visible from the angle of the image which went viral.

Just like Dikec, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun won a gold medal Thursday wearing earplugs but no blinder or visor.

Have other shooters gone viral at the 2024 Olympics?

Yes, South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji’s confident demeanor and dramatic stance have brought praise on social media for her “main character energy”.

“The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed,” the official Olympics account on X posted Thursday with pictures of Kim and Dikec.

Kim won silver in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event Sunday behind her South Korean teammate Oh Ye Jin. Kim and Oh are roommates and Kim said she was pleased Oh got the gold because she sees her like a “youngest sibling”.

Kim is set to compete again Friday in qualification for the women’s 25-meter pistol event.