Turkish Shooter Won Silver Medal with Minimal Gear in Olympics

51-year-old Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec has become an internet sensation for his laid-back approach to Olympic competition. While others rely on high-tech gear, Dikec won silver with just glasses and a hand in his pocket.

Yusuf Dikec, a Turkish shooter or air pistol, has gone viral on social media after winning a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At 51 years old, Dikec’s relaxed style caught everyone’s attention. Moreover, a photo of him shooting with one hand in his pocket and using minimal gear spread rapidly online.

Unlike other competitors in the air pistol mixed team event, who had special equipment like custom goggles and ear protection, Dikec stood out. Wearing just regular prescription glasses and standard earplugs, he showed a casual confidence that helped him secure the silver medal.

At the event was held on July 30, 2024, at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre in Deols, France. Dikec, along with his teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, posed proudly with their medals.

In other shooting events, Britain’s Nathan Hales won the men’s trap gold, setting a new Olympic record. Serbian shooters Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec won the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event. They narrowly defeated the Turkish team, who were close to victory but settled for silver. In addition, despite the close finish, Dikec and Tarhan were proud of their achievement and look forward to winning gold in the next Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won the bronze medal by defeating the South Korean pair Oh Ye-jin and Lee Won-ho.

Who is Yusuf Dikec?

Yusuf Dikec is a national record holder in various pistol events. In 2006, he set a world record at the CISM Military World Championships in Norway. He won a bronze medal at the 2012 ISSF World Cup Final in Bangkok and participated in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Moreover, Dikec won two gold medals at the 2013 European Shooting Championships in Croatia.

In the 2021 European Shooting Championships, he won a bronze medal. At the Summer Olympics 2024 in Paris, Dikec and his teammate Şevval İlayda Tarhan won a silver medal. They finished second to the Serbian team.

Additionally, he is a trained shooter and the internet loves his laid-back swaggish attitude. we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.