PARIS — One of the unlikely viral stars of these Summer Olympics is Yusuf Dikeç, a 51-year-old from Mersin, Turkey. Dikeç, who took up shooting while serving as a corporal in his country’s Gendarmerie General Command, is single, has a daughter, and enjoys dancing in his spare time.
In his fifth Olympic appearance, Dikeç, alongside teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, secured Turkey's first-ever shooting medal, a silver in the 10m air pistol mixed team competition.
What has made Dikeç a global sensation, however, is a picture of him from the competition: pistol raised, standing in a state of great calm, with his left hand casually resting in his pants pocket. Unlike most competitors who wear specialized glasses to block the vision of their non-dominant eye or reduce glare, Dikeç sported simple frames that looked like they could have been bought at a local optician. He also forwent any ear protection.
Here's how he looked compared to the competition:
Dikeç appeared like a man who just walked up, shot, and took home the silver. The photo exuded a sense of effortless cool, leading many online to humorously speculate whether Turkey had sent an undercover agent to the Olympics.
In reality, Dikeç wasn’t calm at all. “He had so much anxiety, so much pressure on his heart,” said Tarhan, with Dikeç nodding in agreement. “Our heartbeat is really beating. It is really hard to shoot in the final of the Olympic games.”
Dikeç continues the trend of what has unofficially been dubbed the “Glasses Olympics,” highlighting numerous athletes who wear prominent glasses during or just before and after competition. This includes American gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, who wore his glasses until moments before jumping on the pommel horse to deliver a bronze medal-winning performance. Nedoroscik, who has an eye condition requiring glasses, says he doesn’t need them during competition. “I don't think I use my eyes on pommel horse,” he explained. “It’s all feeling. I see with my hands.”
Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown, who won the 100-meter backstroke, also relies on glasses. Without them, she couldn’t see the scoreboard to confirm her victory. “Without my glasses, I can’t see too much,” she admitted.
Irish swimmer Daniel Wiffin, who won the 800-meter freestyle, also wore his glasses atop the podium.
No one is making “four-eye” jokes around Dikeç, who is a decorated shooter and both a European and World Champion, despite not using the latest technology. Competing in his fifth Olympics is a particular point of pride for him. “I am just very happy about five Olympic Games,” he said. “We were very strong today in our competition.”
Fans can look forward to more from Dikeç and Tarhan, as they aim for gold at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. “We next [come] to Los Angeles and win a gold medal,” Dikeç declared.
The 2024 Paris Olympics continue with Team USA making waves in swimming events at La Defense Arena. With stars like Caeleb Dressel, Bobby Finke, Chase Kalisz, Ryan Murphy, Katie Ledecky, Lilly King, Regan Smith, Simone Manuel, and the Walsh sisters, the U.S. swimming team is expected to shine. Finals for events like the W 200m Fly, M 200m Back, and W 4x200m Free are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET.
Want to watch Olympic Swimming? Here’s everything you need to know about tuning in, including the full Team USA Swimming roster and schedule. Starting at $8 a month, a Peacock subscription is the easiest way to stream all Olympic events. Peacock offers coverage of every sport, along with features like Olympics Discovery Multiview to watch up to four events at once, and original shows covering the Games. For $14 monthly, you can upgrade to an ad-free subscription with live access to your local NBC affiliate and the ability to download select titles to watch offline.
Other streaming options include DirecTV Stream and Fubo, both offering free trials and access to NBC, USA Network, and E!
In total, 854 athletes – 463 male and 391 female – from 187 countries, plus the Individual Neutral Athletes and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, will compete in the 2024 Olympics. The swimming events run from July 27 to August 4, with open water events on August 8 and 9. Additionally, the Triathlon and Marathon Swimming events will be held in the Seine River.
Highlights of the upcoming events include Simone Biles aiming for her third all-around title, potentially making history, and Katie Ledecky seeking another gold in the women’s 4x200-meter freestyle relay. The men’s singles quarterfinals in tennis feature Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, each vying for a spot in the semifinals.
Stay tuned to Yahoo Sports for more coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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