'I shoot with both eyes': Did Turkey's viral Olympian Yusuf Dikec take up shooting after divorce?

With his ordinary prescription glasses and laid-back stance, Turkish Olympic shooter and Paris 2024 10m air pistol silver medalist Yusuf Dikeç has shot to viral stardom. Dikec's "gearless" look and casual demeanor has got the world talking. 

Rumors circulated about the 51-year-old’s backstory, with social media claiming that Dikec turned to shooting after a tumultuous divorce and a career as a mechanic. A Facebook post even suggested he took a jibe at his ex-wife during his medal ceremony. But that's not the story.  

According to a People report, Dikec began shooting competitively in 2001 after joining the Gendarmerie General Command as a non-commissioned officer. He is a four-time Olympian, having competed in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.

Dikec's approach to the Olympic competition was a masterclass in nonchalance. While his opponents used specialized equipment like custom glasses, large ear protection, and tinted lenses, Dikec competed with everyday glasses and one hand in his pocket. 

He explained to Turkish radio station Radyo Gol, “I shoot with both eyes, most shooters do it with one. I didn’t want all that equipment. Shooting with two eyes — I believe that it’s better. I’ve done a lot of research on it, so I didn’t need the equipment.”

His stance of shooting with a hand in his pocket is about bringing his body to equilibrium and focusing. This casual yet effective approach earned him and his teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan Turkey’s first-ever Olympic medal in shooting.

Photos of Dikec went viral, contrasting sharply with images of Olympic shooting superstar Kim Ye-ji, whose cap, futuristic glasses, and calm composure looked like they belonged on a fashion runway. Kim won silver in the 10-meter air pistol event, with her 19-year-old teammate Oh Ye Jin taking gold. However, all the fanfare and plaudits from social media went to Dikec. 

One social media user commented, “Top confidence. A hand in the pocket. No specialized lenses, no problem. Too easy for him.” Another praised his “insane aura,” while Mexican outlet Diario Récord wrote, “At 51 years old, he competed in the Olympic Games as if he were on the patio at his home!”

Dikec expressed his happiness after securing the silver, saying, “An Olympic medal is an Olympic medal, and in Los Angeles [at the 2028 Games], hopefully, it’s a gold medal.” Serbia’s Zorana Arunović and Damir Mikec took gold, while India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won bronze, but Dikec stole the show.

Beyond his shooting prowess, Dikec also won fans over for being a “cat person,” as revealed on his Instagram page.