Turkey’s Olympic Shooter Becomes The ‘Social Media Sensation’ With Effortless Swag

Turkish air pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has become a social media sensation after clinching the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A striking photo of the 51-year-old athlete, casually taking aim with one hand in his pocket and minimal gear, has gone viral.

On X, a post featuring this photo has garnered an impressive 62 million views. “Turkey sent a 51 yr old guy with no specialized lenses, eye cover or ear protection and got the silver medal,” the caption read.

Dikec stood out among other competitors in the air pistol mixed team event, who were equipped with high-tech gear such as specialized goggles, lenses, and ear protection. In contrast, Dikec appeared at the Paris Olympics in prescription glasses and standard earplugs, yet still managed to secure a silver medal with remarkable nonchalance.

Since the photo’s release, memes about Yusuf Dikec have flooded X and other social media platforms. Some playful posts included Excel-themed memes, and others humorously suggested that Turkey had sent a covert operative to the Olympics, intentionally avoiding gold to avoid suspicion.

Take a look at some of the best memes:

On Tuesday, Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec of Serbia won the gold in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event, narrowly defeating Turkey’s Sevval Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec 16-14 at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre. India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh earned the bronze, overcoming the South Korean duo Oh Ye-jin and Lee Won-ho 16-10, according to Reuters.

While Yusuf Dikec may have missed out on gold, his effortless swagger has certainly won over social media. This marks his fifth Olympic appearance and his first-ever medal.