Turkish shooter at Olympics reveals real reason why he never used any equipment while firing shots in viral clip that's taken the internet by storm
- Yusuf Dikec has broken his silence after going viral
- The 51-year-old took the internet by storm on Wednesday
- He revealed why he doesn't use specialist equipment
Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish shooter who has taken the Olympic Games by storm, has broken his silence after going viral on the internet.
The 51-year-old and his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan claimed the silver medal in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event in Paris on Wednesday, but it was Dikec's unconventional approach to the competition that has seen his image go viral.
Dikec shot to fame after a photo was shared to social media of him competing in a uncharacteristically relaxed manner without the typical shooting gear - and one hand in his pocket.
Most shooters at the Olympic Games use ear protection when they shoot and don specialised glasses that obscure the vision in one eye so competitors don't have to keep it closed, and sometimes feature tinted lenses to help with glare.
The image set social media alight with reaction, with X owner Elon Musk even wading into the incredible moment.
And Dikec has revealed the real reason why he opts not to use the typical gear after making headlines all over the world in his fifth Olympics appearance.
'I never needed that equipment,' the 51-year-old told Haber Turk.
'I am a natural shooter. That's why I don't use many accessories.'
Turkish silver medalist Yusuf Dikec (pictured), 51, has revealed why he does not use specialist gear in the 10m air pistol shooting
Dikec, alongside his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, claimed the silver medal in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event
The viral pic comes after South Korean Kim Ye-ji was dubbed 'the coolest person ever' during her shooting event.
The 31-year-old pistol shooter won a silver medal on Sunday in the women's 10 metre air pistol event when she finished just behind compatriot Oh Ye-jin.
But it was Kim's style as much as her accuracy that really impressed the viewers.
Kim was widely described as looking 'badass' as she rocked a bespoke pair of shooting glasses and a white baseball cap, while carrying her daughter's stuffed toy elephant in her non-shooting hand.
South Korea's Kim Ye-ji is pictured competing at the Olympics on Sunday. She went viral this week for barely reacting after winning gold and setting a world record in May
Since Kim won her first Olympic medal on Sunday, footage of her in action at May's shooting World Cup in Baku has gone viral via social media.
The video in question showed Kim winning gold in Baku in the 25m pistol competition, setting a new world record in the process.
Commenting on the viral video, one viewer wrote: 'This is the coolest anyone has ever looked while breaking a world record'.
Another replied: 'This is the coldest s***. I'm obsessed'
A third comment read: 'And she's nonchalant about it, oh she's the coldest main character out there'.
