Yusuf Dikec, Mustafa Inan clinch gold medal at ESC European Champions League in Istanbul
Social media users find Dikec's casual style a form of 'aura farming' in itself
Pistol shooter calls representing Turkiye in front of a home crowd "a great honour"
Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec is back in the news, drawing worldwide attention with his trademark glasses and white T-shirt, standing without a cap or extra gear, and with one hand in pocket.
Dikec struck the same iconic pose as at the Paris Olympic Games 2024, en route a gold medal in the air pistol competition alongside Mustafa Inan at the ESC European Champions League held in Istanbul.
Turkiye’s 52-year-old shooting star thus shone in his home country, defeating Germany in the final. The victory once again made Dikec a social media favourite among fans and followers of shooting, as also those who simply find his casual style a form of 'aura farming' in itself.
After the competition, Dikec told Turkiye Today, "Representing my country in front of a home crowd, with the tournament held in Istanbul for the first time, is a great honour. Winning gold here makes me very happy."
Career Milestones And Olympic Achievements
Hailing from Tasoluk village of Goksun district in Turkey's Kahramanmaras province, Dikec began his professional shooting career in 2011. He is a retired non-commissioned officer of the Turkish Gendarmerie and a member of the Jandarma Gucu Sports Club.
The Turkish duo of Dekic and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan secured second place in the 10m mixed pistol event at the 2024 Olympics, battling fiercely against Serbia’s Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec, who ultimately won gold with a final score of 16-14 at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.
Dikec has an impressive track record. Besides two gold, two silver and a bronze at the World Championships, he won gold at the ISSF World Cup in Munich in 2011 and has accumulated five gold, four silver, and one bronze at the European Championships. In 2006, scoring 597 points, the Turkish pistol shooter set a world record in the 25m center-fire pistol event at the CISM Military World Championships in Rena.
Dikec has competed in four Olympic Games, representing Turkey in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024, and in a remarkable twist, he earned his first Olympic medal at the age of 51.
His seemingly casual approach to the sport has often been contrasted with the apparent "main character energy" of South Korean Olympic sharpshooter Kim Yeji, who also clinched silver at Paris 2024. The 33-year-old, with her wire-rimmed shooting glasses and baseball cap, had become a social media sensation like Dikec.
