'The Star We Didn't Know We Needed': Turkish Olympic Shooter Yusuf Dikeç Takes The Internet By Storm

According to SAEDNEWS, Social media has erupted over a photo of Turkish Olympic shooter Yusuf Dikeç, who arrived at his Paris 2024 event with an air of indifference and yet walked away with a silver medal.

With his hands casually tucked into his pockets, and without the specialized gear his competitors sported, Dikeç’s relaxed style set him apart during the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event.

Teaming up with partner Şevval İlayda Tarhan, Dikeç’s achievement of second place, alongside his striking nonchalance, has turned him into an overnight internet sensation. One viral post on X noted, “Turkey sent a 51-year-old guy with no specialized lenses, eye cover, or ear protection and got the silver medal,” racking up nearly 90 million views. While most Olympic shooters rely on custom ear protection and visors to aid their focus, Dikeç seemingly needed none of that, narrowly missing the gold to the Serbian duo Zorana Arunović and Damir Mikec.

"I did not need special equipment," Dikeç told Turkish media, affirming, "I'm a natural, a natural shooter." He also quipped, “Success doesn’t come with your hands in your pockets,” echoing his laid-back approach to the sport.

Dikeç, who is no stranger to the Olympic scene, is participating in his fifth Games, having previously represented Turkey in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. He boasts numerous titles from World and European Championships across various pistol events and is a retired non-commissioned officer in the Turkish Gendarmerie.

Even official Olympic social media accounts have celebrated Dikeç’s effortlessly cool persona. They referred to him and South Korea's Kim Yeji as “the Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.” Kim, who claimed silver in the women’s 10-metre air pistol event, gained attention for her striking futuristic gear and commanding presence.

Interestingly, both athletes captured the internet’s affection for vastly different reasons. Kim recently went viral after a captivating moment during the 2024 ISSF World Cup, where she made eye contact with the camera after breaking a world record.

The online fun doesn’t stop there; users have created self-referential memes about their omnipresence on X, clever movie parodies, and collages featuring Dikeç alongside his cat. Some have humorously inserted images of pints of beer and cigarettes into his iconic photo, joking that he looked like he had just popped over from the pub. Others have gone so far as to suggest he might be a secret agent.