Turkish Olympic Shooter Yusuf Dikeç on Going Viral After Winning Silver With Minimal Equipment: 'I Am a Natural'
He told Turkish media that he didn't need special equipment because he's "a natural shooter."
Turkish Olympic shooter Yusuf Dikeç has become an overnight viral star after he participated in an event with minimal equipment and one hand in his pocket.
The 51-year-old participated in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday, July 31 and notably did so without the usual specialized equipment most Olympic shooters use. Instead, he turned up to the event in a casual jersey, one hand in his pocket, and small earplugs instead of the standard ear-defenders.
Alongside his teammate Şevval İlayda Tarhan, he secured the silver medal at the event. Most participants at Olympic shooting events use lenses that block vision in one eye alongside hefty ear protection. "I did not need special equipment," Dikeç told Turkish media, according to Euro News. "I'm a natural, a natural shooter."
Dikeç isn't a newcomer to the Olympics, but this is the first time he's brought home a medal for Turkey. He's represented his home country at the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 Olympics. He's been enjoying his newfound viral fame by being more active on his social media pages.
While this is his first Olympic medal, the retired Turkish Gendarmerie officer does hold several titles at the World and European Championships for shooting events. Another shooter, Liu Yukun of China, also took home a medal for rifle shooting despite wearing no blinders or visors.
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Dikeç garnered a lot of attention online around the same time as South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji, who displayed an effortlessly cool energy and sported the usual equipment in a manner that also caused her to go viral. Like Dikeç, she picked up the silver medal at the women's 10-meter air pistol event.