Along with compatriot Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, Yusuf Dikec won silver in mixed team 10-meter air pistol.
Chateauroux: Fifty-one-year-old Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec has went viral on social medal for his uebr-cool approach en route to his silver medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. Not only Dikec broke the internet with his ‘Hitman’ looks, his cool attitude also served as an example on how to handle pressure at the top level, something the newcomers should learn.
Shooting in a T-shirt with one hand in his pocket along with a seemingly standard pair of glasses and an impassive look on his face, Dikec looked like a regular guy competing at the Olympics. Notably, Dikec etched his name in history of Turkish sports.
Pairing with compatriot Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, the Turkish duo on silver in mixed team 10-meter air pistol shooting final on Tuesday – the same event where India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh clinched silver. Moreover, it was Turkey’s first-ever medal in Olympic shooting.
However, Dikec is no newcomer at Olympics. He’s competed at every Summer Olympics since 2008. In his individual event at Paris Olympics 2024, Dikec finished 13th and is done in Paris.
But unlike others, 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 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.