Yusuf Dikec at ISSF World Cup Final 2024: Turkish shooter happy to see fans celebrating his Paris 2024 success
Dikec says he is glad people notice him and share his photos and memes on social media. Dikec competed in the men’s 10m air pistol event in New Delhi.
Shooting
Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, who won silver at the Paris 2024 Olympics, is enjoying the global attention he has gained since his signature ‘hand-in-pocket’ shooting pose went viral on social media.
Currently in India for the ISSF World Cup Final 2024 in New Delhi, Dikec competed in the men’s 10m air pistol event on Tuesday. Since August, he's been swamped by fans, colleagues and officials for selfies and nothing’s changed in the Indian capital.
“Everybody wants a picture with me. I am surrounded by people asking for selfies, not just here, but even in other countries,” Yusuf Dikec told the Times of India. “It feels good that people want to celebrate my success.”
Dikec’s minimalist shooting style, with one hand tucked in the pocket and standard specs instead of high-tech gear, inspired several athletes to mimic the pose and the creation of various memorabilia.
“I like to keep things as simple as they can be,” Dikec said. “I got used to putting my hand in my pocket ever since I fired my first shot. I never realised that people would notice this and find this amusing,” Dikec said.
Cricketers like Kieron Pollard, Olympic champions Armand Duplantis, Roje Stona, Kristof Rasovszky and Nina Kennedy have all embraced the Yusuf Dikec pose.
“I am glad that people noticed me and they shared my photos to express their emotions. I am happy to be spreading the sport of shooting in a unique way,” the Turkish shooter added.
At the age of 51, Dikec made history by winning silver in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at Paris 2024, becoming Turkiye’s first-ever Olympic shooting medallist along with Sevval Ilayda Tarhan.
“That is the best aspect of the sport. You can participate without worrying about your age and continue till you want to. I see myself as a normal healthy person and would like to continue for many more years,” Dikec noted.
“On a serious note, pocket or no pocket, I am looking to make it big at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics,” he added.
The ISSF World Cup Final 2024 is being held at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range. The competitions started on Tuesday and will conclude on Thursday. Live streaming is available on the Olympics website.
Dikec finished 11th in the men's 10m air pistol qualifying round and failed to make the cut for the eight-man final.
Olympic champions Sheng Lihao, Liu Yukun, Chiara Leone and Xie Yu are some of the big names competing at the ISSF World Cup Final 2024 in New Delhi.