Turkish Shooter Wins Silver at 2024 Olympics Without Using Any Equipment

Yusuf Dikec made history by winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, capturing attention with his casual demeanor.

PARIS, France — Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has risen to social media stardom for his relaxed manner while earning a silver medal in the 2024 Olympics.

Images widely shared depict Dikec shooting in a T-shirt, one hand in his pocket, wearing standard glasses, and maintaining an impassive expression. Onlookers have compared him to a casual competitor or even a hitman at the Olympics.

At 51, Dikec is not a novice. He has participated in every Summer Olympics since 2008.

Memes amusingly contrast Dikec with his Serbian opponent, Damir Mikec, who sported a specialized blinder, a lens over one eye, and large ear defenders.

Dikec’s performance won Turkey its first Olympic shooting medal. He, alongside Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, secured silver in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event Tuesday.

Gold was claimed by Serbia’s Mikec and Zorana Arunovic, while India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh took bronze.

Tarhan, Dikec’s teammate, competed with large ear defenders, a visor, and braids in Turkey’s national colors. Notably, she also shot with one hand in her pocket.

Dikec finished 13th in his individual event and has already set his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games. “I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal,” he mentioned Tuesday.

Embracing his newfound fame, Dikec shared a compilation video of Turkish-language memes about him on his Instagram page.

The shooting events took place about three hours south of Paris. Following the events, Dikec and Tarhan traveled to the French capital on Wednesday, receiving an enthusiastic welcome at Champions Park, a venue where medalists celebrate with fans.

While shooters have flexibility in their attire, many opt for visors to reduce light glare or blinders to enhance focus. Although Dikec appeared gear-free, he did wear yellow earplugs during the final, which were not visible from the viral image angle.

Similar to Dikec, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun won a gold medal wearing earplugs but no other specialized gear.

South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji also garnered social media praise for her confident demeanor and dramatic stance, which many referred to as “main character energy.”

“The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed,” the official Olympics account on X posted Thursday, featuring photos of Kim and Dikec.

Kim won silver in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event Sunday, just behind her South Korean teammate Oh Ye Jin. Celebrating her friend’s victory, Kim mentioned she views Oh as a “youngest sibling.”

Kim is scheduled to compete again on Friday in the qualification round for the women’s 25-meter pistol event.