Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec along with his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan clinched a silver medal in the Mixed 10m Air Pistol event in Paris 2024. But that was not the reason that led to Dikec storming the internet on Thursday and becoming a toast to his nation and beyond.
In a rare showing, Dikec opted to enter the event in a no-gear look, which means unlike most Olympic shooters, he did not wear a specialised jacket or eye gear for the event. He entered the event wearing a t-shirt and pants along with simple spectacles and took home the silver medal by scoring 14 points along with his partner in the gold medal match against Serbia (16).
His ‘uber-cool aura’ soon came to light and turned into a meme fest as netizens from all around the globe started talking about his unique style. However, his partner Tarhan cleared that he carried a lot of anxiety and pressure on his heart during the event.
“He had so much anxiety, so much pressure on his heart,” Tarhan said after the competition of her partner, with Dikeç next to her, agreeing. “Our heartbeat is really beating. Is really so much beating. It is really hard to shoot in the final of the Olympic games.”
Watch the reactions here:
The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.
🇰🇷 Kim Yeji 🤝 Yusuf Dikeç 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/gfkyGjFg4I
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2024
Yusuf Dikeç from Turkiye came with only his glasses and won the silver medal at the Olympics. King like John Wick is on the world agenda👏
— Tansu Yegen (@TansuYegen) August 1, 2024
The name’s Dikeç. Yusuf Dikeç. 🇹🇷#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/gOxIb26nYO
— Eurosport (@eurosport) July 31, 2024
1-Yusuf Dikeç gümüş madalya kazanmadı. Hatta o aşamalara bile giremeden elendi.
Total İnner 10S puanında da 18.sırada.
Bu madalya takım olarak yarıştığı madalya.
takım arkadaşı Şevval İlayda Tarhandı.Burada Yusuf Dikeç iyi atabilse Altın madalya kazanılabilirdi. pic.twitter.com/e5ogsdxuQA
— antiyüzeyselbilgi (@kleinburg01) August 1, 2024
Yusuf Dikec is a cat person! pic.twitter.com/AHueuXbl2k
— Punch Cat (@PunchingCat) August 1, 2024
The Turkish pair had finished at top in the qualification round with 582 points ahead of Serbia and India.
Dikec, who nonchalantly shot his way to the Mixed 10m Air Pistol event at Paris 2024, is participating in his fifth Olympics after making his debut in Beijing 2008.
Incidentally, the Indian pair of Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh clinched a bronze medal at the event.
