Paris Olympics 2024: Turkey Shooter’s ‘No-gear’ Look Triggers Meme Fest

Shooters are seen wearing some gear on their eyes and ears while competing at events. These accessories help them maintain precision and focus during the procedure. But when they have raw talent, an athlete will need no gear to shine on the big stage. A veteran pistol shooter from Turkey has proven this point at the Paris Olympics. Yusuf Dikec claimed the silver medal by finishing second in the mixed 10m Air Pistol shooting, an event where India’s Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh won the bronze medal match. Dikec paired up with Sevval Ilayda Tarhan in Paris.

Not only his sports achievement but Yusuf Dikec is also going viral for appearing in the competition with minimal gear. While his teammate and other participants donned specialised goggles and high-end ear protection, Dikec ditched them all. Instead, he opted for regular prescription glasses and wore simple earplugs for the bullet noise.

A particular picture has gained huge attention on social media where Yusuf Dikec could be seen aiming at his target with one hand in his pocket. The photograph went widely viral, sparking a meme fest across the internet. Dropping it on X (formerly Twitter), one user wrote, “Turkey sent a 51-year-old guy with no specialized lenses, eye cover or ear protection and got the silver medal.”

“Did Turkey send a hitman to the Olympics?” asked a person, sharing a picture of Yusuf Dikec.

Another person revealed the details of the gear a shooter uses at the Olympics. “In Olympic shooting, they use equipment like a lens to avoid blur, a lens for better precision and ear protectors for noise. Then a Turkish guy (Dikec) came and won a silver medal with just a pair of glasses,” he added.

Here are some other reactions:

Yusuf Dikec made his Olympics debut in 2008 in Beijing. Since then, he has featured in every edition of the mega event. The mixed team bronze in Paris marks the first-ever medal for Dikec in his Olympics career.