Olympic Shooter Yusuf Dikeç Has Gone Viral: "Did Turkey Send a Hitman to the Olympics?"
"He would've lit a cigarette if he could."
By Elissa NoblittPublished Aug. 1 2024, 10:46 a.m. ET
With practically the whole world watching the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, it's easy for certain athletes to go viral — just ask Team USA gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik or Italy's Giorgia Villa, whose sponsorship by Parmesan cheese has turned her into an internet sensation. People tend to latch onto competitors who have a unique way about them.
Social media's new favorite Olympic athlete is Yusuf Dikeç, a sport shooter from Turkey who has gone viral thanks to his "insane aura" and casual attitude toward the sport. With very little protective gear and a hand in his pocket, Yusuf managed to take home the silver for his country and look super nonchalant the whole time.
Here are some of our favorite memes.
Choose your shooter.
The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed.
🇰🇷 Kim Yeji 🤝 Yusuf Dikeç 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/gfkyGjFg4I
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) August 1, 2024South Korean shooting superstar Kim Ye-ji couldn't have provided a more stark contrast against Yusuf's laid-back look, with her signature slick, cyberpunk-esque equipment and cool demeanor.
Just another casual Tuesday.
Dude looks like he just decided to join the Olympics when he woke up this morning😭 pic.twitter.com/qLn4PnRFDH
— Clover Lavender (@AyoolaMatthee) July 31, 2024What's more casual than competing against some of the most talented athletes in the world at the Olympic Games?
Is it a guy thing?
girls packing for a trip vs guys packing for a trip pic.twitter.com/iL9K20Ni5J
— saltypickles (@nonpoccafe) July 31, 2024Yusuf definitely seems like a "three shirts for a week-long trip" kind of guy.
There's a method to his madness.
I know everyone is loving the South Korean pistol shooter in the Olympics with robocop vibes. I present you the Turkish pistol shooter. 51 years old. Flip flops, hands in pocket. He would’ve lit a cigarette if he could. My vibe.
(He got🥈btw)#OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/MrnO8Q5oiy
— Kerem (@kerem) July 31, 2024When asked about his lack of equipment, Yusuf told Turkish radio station Radyo Gol, "I shoot with both eyes, most shooters do it with one. So I didn’t want that all that equipment. Shooting with two eyes — I believe that it’s better. I’ve done a lot of research on it, so I didn’t need the equipment."
He seems calm. Too calm.
Did Turkey send a hitman to the Olympics? pic.twitter.com/nPfNQMKtX7
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) July 31, 2024Something tells us that Yusuf may have a bit more, er, specialized experience with a gun.
The nerds who get it get it.
google sheets excel pic.twitter.com/N1rT5nQcSG
— memes.xlsx (@ExcelHumor) August 1, 2024Take your pick.
A man of simplicity.
Turkey's coach: Boss, what all equipment do you need to win the medal? Mufflers, glasses, side-blinder?
Yusuf Dikec: Gun. pic.twitter.com/0CmbGafZV1
Congratulations to Yusuf and Turkey on their silver medal win!
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