Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, who won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 in the 10m air pistol competition, became a viral sensation for his "gearless" look. Several posts about his casual look, without wearing any protective earplugs or lenses went viral on social media. Now, the Olympian has spoken about his unique pose and said that he is a "natural shooter" and never needed special equipment.
He told the Turkish newspaper Haberturk, "At that moment, everyone says I seemed very calm, but actually storms were raging inside me. I think my shooting pose represented the Olympic spirit very well: the fair play, simplicity, clarity and naturalness. That's why it got so much attention,"
"I never needed that equipment. I am a natural. A natural shooter," Mr Dikec added.
Notably, Mr Dikec is a four-time Olympian, having competed in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. The 51-year-old began shooting competitively in 2001, following his employment with the Gendarmerie General Command as a non-commissioned officer.
"That's why I don't use many accessories. My shooting technique is one of the rare shooting techniques in the world. I shoot with both eyes open. Even the referees are surprised by this. My partner and I will get the gold at Los Angeles 2028," he added.
He described his shooting method as one of the "rare shooting techniques in the world," in an interview with the Turkish broadcaster TGRT Haber. The shooter said that several referees were shocked to see his performance. Mr Dikec went on to say that given their intense training, a medal was expected. "This year we prepared a lot and worked a lot... this success belongs to all of Turkey," Mr Dikec continued.
The Olympian mentioned that his victory in the Paris Games will inspire the next generations. When donning the national team shirt, a player should be mindful of his attitude, behaviour, and way of life, he said, adding, "Yusuf Dikec is just a name and a symbol. I am very happy to be spoken about as a Turkish athlete, not as Yusuf Dikec."
"I started the sport very late, I started when I was 28. At first, when we went to competitions in Europe and the world, we considered making it to the finals as a success. Today, after 24 years, we have started to feel sad about finishing second in the Olympics. We have many young friends, they will surpass us. I am old, but we have shown that success can be achieved by hard work. What is important is not wanting something very much, but the effort you put in to achieve what you want," he said.
