Despite several controversies and unwanted incidents, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 has been a banger so far.
Without a doubt, the sport of shooting has been making all the headlines thanks to several larger-than-life characters that many jokingly said exude ‘main character energy’.
None more so than Turkish Olympic shooter Yusuf Dikeç who won silver in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team competition alongside his partner Şevval İlayda Tarhan.
“We need you out of retirement for one last job.”
“Who?”
“Not who, but where. The Olympics, in France. You’ve always been our best shooter.” pic.twitter.com/4yZhElPSRA
— @goth (@goth600) August 1, 2024
Thanks to his nonchalant pose with 1 hand in his pocket, a face that looks like he’s bored and not wearing any special gear during the competition, Yusuf took the internet by storm.
So, who is this enigmatic 51-year-old athlete? Well, join us as we share 4 things you should know about the viral shooting sensation.
1. Yusuf studied at a military school and graduated with the rank of Sergeant
A young Yusuf
With many joking that Yusuf is secretly a retired ‘hitman’ tasked by his country for 1 last mission at the Olympics, it’s rather ironic that he’s a military school graduate.
Born in 1973, Turkish publication Emekli Assubaylar reported in 2012 that Yusuf enrolled at the Military School of Gendarmerie in Ankara in 1994 and served in Mardin.
In 1999, he graduated with the rank of Sergeant and served 1 year in Istanbul before being appointed to Jandarma Gücü in Ankara, the sports club of the Gendarmerie.
According to NPR, Yusuf took up the sport of shooting in 2001 after he started working as a non-commissioned officer for the Gendarmerie General Command.
2. Yusuf is a 7-time European champion and Paris 2024 is his 5th straight Olympics
Despite his casual attire during the competition, Yusuf is actually a veteran of the sport, whereby the Paris Olympic Games 2024 is his 5th straight Olympic Games.
Furthermore, according to his Olympic bio, Yusof is very decorated in the sport with 7 European championships under his name.
Yusuf is also the 2014 double world champion in the 25m standard pistol and 25m centrefire pistol.
Paris Olympic Games 2024 is historic for him and his country though, as this is the 1st time Turkiye won a medal in the shooting sport!
3. Yusuf’s hobby is dancing and he’s also a cat lover
His Olympic bio also provided a rather unexpected tidbit about the silver medallists, whereby it was revealed that his hobby is dancing.
Moreover, after some research by people on the internet, it was found that Yusuf is a cat lover, with many photos of the athlete with his cute cuddly feline.
Our favourite has got to be this one, which shows his cat making a similar bored face that Yusuf made when he was competing in the Olympics.
Yusuf Dikec is a cat person! pic.twitter.com/AHueuXbl2k
— Punch Cat (@PunchingCat) August 1, 2024
4. Why he didn’t wear any professional gear during the competition
As reported by NPR, after his silver medal exploits, Yusuf told Turkish radio that while most shooters use 1 eye, he prefers to use both.
He added that after doing a lot of research on the matter, he believed that shooting with 2 eyes was better.
As for the lack of equipment, he also asserted,
“I didn’t need special equipment. I’m a natural, a natural shooter.”
Yusuf also explained his casual stance, saying that it “actually brings the body to equilibrium and focusing and concentrating”.
While having 1 hand in his pocket during shooting may look bizarre, it’s actually a common practice in the sport.
As for Yusuf, he said he put 1 hand in his pocket as it’s “a matter of feeling more motivated and comfortable”.
Ironically though, his philosophy is, “Success doesn’t come with your hands in your pockets.”
Awesome! So, what do you guys think of Yusuf’s exploits at the Olympic Games Paris 2024? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: “It’s not fair” – Here’s Everything You Need to Know About the Olympic Female Boxing Scandal
