In addition to winning hearts and minds online, Yusuf Dikec of Turkey took home a silver medal in Tuesday’s mixed team 10-meter air pistol shooting competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 51-year-old Dikec, who has competed in every summer Olympics since 2008, has become the target of memes when a photo of him taking a shot went viral due to his carefree and seemingly uninterested attitude.
To the enjoyment of people worldwide on the internet, Dikec appeared to be in between an ordinary guy and a seasoned hitman brandishing a pistol while sporting a T-shirt, hand in his pocket, and no special equipment.
The shooter Kim Yeji, a South Korean, was compared to Dikec; his lavish clothing and dramatic attitude provided a wonderful contrast.
The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.
🇰🇷 Kim Yeji 🤝 Yusuf Dikeç 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/gfkyGjFg4I
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2024
Japanese users have taken a particular interest in Dikec, referring to him as “Free User Ojisan” (愡課金おじさん, lit. Free User Old Guy) and comparing him to a gamer who wins in freemium games without having to pay any money.
Who you got? 🇰🇷 vs 🇹🇷 #Olympics #김예지 #YusufDikec pic.twitter.com/koe0b02D0i
— Jay Kim (@luckymong1) August 1, 2024
Read Also: Simone Biles Joins the Ranks of Athletic Legends with Latest Gold Medal Victory
As a cult figure who rose to prominence rapidly, Dikec is already commanding a high price for artwork; some have even drawn comparisons between him and Ryo Saeba, the mercenary protagonist of the 1980s manga “City Hunter.”
girls packing for a trip vs guys packing for a trip pic.twitter.com/iL9K20Ni5J
— saltypickles (@nonpoccafe) July 31, 2024
When questioned about not requiring any special equipment, Dikec gave the Turkish media a flawlessly cool and in-character one-liner that only served to solidify his rising legend: “I did not need special equipment.” I’m a shooter by nature,” he remarked, as reported by NBC Sports.
Alongside partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, Dikec won a silver medal, giving Turkey its first-ever Olympic shooting medal.
