Facts about Turkish Olympics shooter Yusuf Dikec
If you’ve been following all the hype around this year’s Paris Olympics, then you would have definitely heard of Turkish shooting athlete Yusuf Dikec.
He is one of the two Olympic shooters who have gone viral for their unfazed appearance at the games, with the other being South Korean athlete Kim Ye-ji.
With his stone-cold demeanour — or “aura” as the kids would call it these days — Yusuf secured a silver medal for Türkiye with one hand in his pocket and little-to-no protective gear.
The now-viral footage of his nonchalant excellence was captured during the mixed air pistol team event on Thursday (1 Aug).
Source: @anandmahindra on X
Despite many dubbing Yusuf “the coldest Olympian of 2024”, there’s more to the 51-year-old than meets the eye.
Here are some facts about Yusuf Dikec, the silver medallist Turkish athlete at this year’s Olympics.
1. Took up shooting while working in armed forces
According to his Olympics profile, Yusuf was born in Goksun, Türkiye on 1 January 1973 and resides in the Turkish city Mersin.
He studied at the Gazi University School of Physical Training and Education, and received a Master’s degree in Coaching from the Selcuk University.
While working as a non-commissioned officer for the Gendarmerie General Command in Türkiye, Yusuf grew an interest in shooting and decided to pick it up as a sport.
Source: @yusufdikecofficial on Instagram
Yusuf’s profile also states that his philosophy is “success doesn’t come with your hands in your pockets”.
This may ring true to some, but Yusuf managed to secure a win in the Olympics with one hand in his pocket, and one on his winning pistol.
2. Award winner and five-time Olympian
Despite his recent global media attention, this isn’t Yusuf’s first Olympics rodeo.
In a list of milestones on Yusuf’s Olympics profile, it was noted that the 51-year-old is currently a five-time Olympian, having competed since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Source: @yusufdikecofficial on Instagram
In addition to this, Yusuf has racked up an impressive number of titles since competing in shooting in 2001, including:
- Two gold medals in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championships
- Three gold medals in the ISSF World Cup
- Seven gold medals in the European Shooting Championships
Yusuf is also the world number eight in the men’s 10m air pistol, and world 101st in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol.
3. Won Türkiye’s first Olympics shooting medal
What made Yusuf’s 2024 Olympics appearance even more iconic was the fact that he won Türkiye’s first Olympics shooting medal, seemingly with ease.
Along with shooting partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, the duo shot their way to a silver medal after outperforming their opponents from India.
Source: NBC News
Despite losing out to Serbia’s Mikec and Zorana Arunovic, Yusuf left quite an impression on the world with his lack of protective gear as compared to his competitors.
Speaking to Turkish media, Yusuf displayed his confidence in his shooting ability.
“I did not need special equipment, I’m a natural, a natural shooter,” Euronews reported.
As Yusuf shoots with both eyes open instead of the usual one, he found the eye-blinders and other equipment to be too “uncomfortable”.
With just a pair of small yellow ear plugs, regular glasses, and a can-do attitude, Yusuf made history by clinching Türkiye’s first Olympics shooting medal.
Source: @yusufdikecofficial on Instagram
4. Single cat-lover who enjoys dancing
Don’t be fooled by Yusuf’s tough exterior, because he seems to be a softie at heart.
According to Yahoo Sports, Yusuf is single and has a daughter. His Olympics profile also lists “dancing” as one of his hobbies.
To top it off, Yusuf appears to be a cat lover based on a few photographs of him with a feline, posted on his Instagram.
Source: @yusufdikecofficial on Instagram
As the 51-year-old’s “aura” resembled the famous hitman and movie character John Wick, many thought Yusuf’s love for animals further confirmed the uncanniness.
Source: Instagram
5. Hopes to retire after 2028 Olympics
After winning a silver medal for his home country, Yusuf and his teammates returned to Türkiye where he was welcomed with praise.
“We went to the Olympics with the prayers of 85 million people who supported us. We did not return empty-handed,” Yusuf told the press at Istanbul Airport.
He shared that the Olympics medal was a symbol of teamwork and a tribute to the 85 million people in Türkiye.
“Like theater, everyone has a role. When you play your role well, something beautiful comes out in the end. We did our best and it was a success,” he said.
Source: AA
With the gold in mind, Yusuf assured the public that he and his team will bring home the win in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
He also noted that he will most likely be retiring from the sport after the next Summer Games.
Also read: Kim Ye-ji: 7 facts about the South Korean Olympics shooter who exudes ‘badass’ energy
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Featured image adapted from @anandmahindra on X and @yusufdikecofficial on Instagram.
