Turkish shooter responds after going viral
Yusuf Dikec, 51, who became an internet sensation due to his nonchalant approach has explained his shooting style.
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The Turkish shooter who has become a viral sensation this Olympics has broken his silence on his new-found internet fame.
Yusuf Dikec, 51, claimed the silver medal in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event in Paris on Wednesday.
But it was his nonchalant attitude while competing that saw him win the hearts of sporting fans across the globe.
Speaking to Turkish newspaper Habertürk, Dikec explained his unconventional shooting style.
“’I never needed that equipment,’ he told the paper.
‘I am a natural shooter. That’s why I don’t use many accessories.’
Competitors in shooting tend to wear ear protectors and two lenses, one to avoid blur and one for better precision.
Instead, Dikec rolled up to the line with one hand in his pocket and his prescription glasses.
His partner Şevval İlayda Tarhan also nailed her shots, with the pair securing the silver medal.
The internet had a field day with the images of Dikec as he became the latest instant meme to come out of the Olympics with one post racking up 48 million views.
The 51-year-old Turkish shooter is competing in his fifth Olympic Games, with his first appearance coming in Beijing in 2008.
Thursday’s event was Dikec’s first-ever Olympic Games medal.
The final went down to the wire with Serbia producing a thrilling comeback to secure the gold medal.
Zorana Arunović and Damir Mikec recovered from being down 8-2 to secure the victory with a 16-14 score over Dikec and Tarhan.
Bleacher Report wrote on X alongside several images: “Turkish shooter Dikec Yusuf is a legend for this.”
LADbible wrote: “This is what you call aura. Looking like he just came out of the crowd and gave it a go … he just casually took home silver at the Olympics.”
EuroSport simply wrote alongside an image of Dikec: “The name’s Dikec, Yusuf Dikec.”
Joe Pompliano wrote: “I love how everyone uses specialised lenses for shooting to avoid blur and increase precision. But then Turkey sends out a guy who looks like he just picked up the gun for fun and wins silver.”
Originally published as Turkish shooter responds after going viral
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