The calm, cool and collected Turkish pistol shooter found himself in the clutches of online fandom upon securing a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Tuesday.
Yusuf Dikecwith his partner Sevval Ilayda TarhanHe took second place in the mixed team 10-metre air pistol event. But what was most striking was Dikec’s lack of equipment (special glasses or large ear protectors) for the competition.
The most widely shared images show Dikec shooting with a T-shirt on and one hand in his pocket, a seemingly normal pair of glasses and an unfazed look on his face. He has been compared to a normal guy off the street competing in the Olympics, or even an unsuspecting hitman.
legend image.twitter.com/iPpNOrfyiL
— non-aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) July 31, 2024
The 51-year-old is no rookie, however: he has competed in every Summer Olympics since 2008.
“I didn’t need special equipment. I’m a natural shooter,” Dikec told Turkish media, according to EuroNews.
His teammate Tarhan, who spoke with ReutersHe expressed that overnight celebrity status is well earned.
“I’m proud of him, but it’s not like he doesn’t have equipment,” the 24-year-old said. “He’s used to shooting with regular glasses and doesn’t need any extra equipment. It’s a personal thing and he feels comfortable that way.”
Yusuf Dikeç, who competed and won a silver medal 🥈 in the men’s 10m air pistol shooting for Turkey, is going viral for all the right reasons. A cool cat… 😎 🤣 🇹🇷 #Paris2024
🎨 by @dontlikethatbro image.twitter.com/ox69mtnZNR
— Hey! Dip your toes (@dipyourtoesin) August 2, 2024
Dikec himself seems surprised, if a little bewildered, by the Internet’s interest in something that comes so easily to him.
“I didn’t expect such a level of recognition,” he told Turkish media upon his return to his home country. “As I shoot with both eyes open, the equipment doesn’t feel very comfortable for me.”
“No glasses, no headphones, just vibrations,” Eurosport wrote in X“Turkey’s Yusuf Dikec wins silver and the hearts of fans.”
The most “Main Character Energy” I’ve ever seen.photo.twitter.com/ExuXVxB3VB
— Del Walker 🇵🇸 (@TheCartelDel) July 30, 2024
The viral photo emerged after the South Korean air gun competitor… Kim Yeji She also went viral for looking like a movie star during her participation in the Olympics. Her confident attitude and dramatic posture have earned her praise on social media for her “main character energy.”
“The #olympicshooting stars we didn’t know we needed,” says the official Olympic Games account on X posted Thursday with photos of Kim and Dikec.
Kim won silver in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event on Sunday behind her South Korean teammate. Oh Ye Jin.