Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish internet sensation in Paris Olympics, is in Delhi

Remember Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish shooter who became an internet sensation with his casual demeanour at the shooting range in Paris Olympics?  Barely two months after the former Army officer and his partner Sevval Ilayda Tarhan finished with a silver in the mixed team 10-metre air pistol, the shooter is the cynosure of all eyes at the ongoing  International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Delhi.

As the prestigious event got under way at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting range, Dikec had a tough time in obliging hundreds of request for selfies from volunteers, fellow shooters and even officials from other countries. The image of a salt-and-pepper haired Dikec shooting with a hand in his pocket, wearing a Turkey team T shirt, normal pair of spectacles and no shooting gear became an epitome of ‘coolness.’

 Social media went into a tizzy with fake stories on how Dikec took to shooting to impress his wife and succeeded in his first Olympics overnight started doing the rounds. The reality behind his success, however, lay in a long grind of nearly 24 years at the range while he took his first bow in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ‘’I had always taken the attention casually but liked it. Now, it is becoming a bit boring though,’’ the man of the moment said during an informal chat with mediapersons in the capital.

Speaking through Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, who played the interpreter, Dikec said he would be glad if his popularity helps in shooting becoming popular like football and basketball. Showing a cheeky sense of humour, the shooter said: ‘’My life hasn’t changed in the last few months. I am still eating the same food and wearing the same clothes.’’

 How did he take up shooting in the first place? ‘’I took up shooting around 2001 after I started working as a non-commissioned officer for the Gendarmerie General Command,’’ said Dikec, who honed his skills at the Ankara Jandarma Gucu Spor Kulubu Dernegi (TUR). The uniqueness in his style – like shooting with his both eyes open – is completely out of the manual and according to the shooter, it took him a long time to get used to it.  

Cutting out the noise

Asked whether the absence of a shooting glass hinders his concentration at an open air venue like the Dr Karni Singh Range, Dikec said he believed in a simple plan to keep his focus. ‘’Once I line up with the shooters, it’s just me and the bull’s eye. I don’t have any problems.’’     

Speaking earlier in the Turkish media after their Paris exploits, Dikec said the pair’s success was a result of lot of hard work and preparation – and not merely due to any swagger on his part. “Success doesn’t come with your hands in your pockets. This year, we prepared a lot and worked a lot..… This success belongs to all of Turkey,” he said.

The hype around Dikec had clearly overshadowed the key role of her female partner Sevval, who acts as an interpreter with English speaking journalists. Asked if all the attention showered on her partner bothers Sevval, the female shooter sportingly replied: ‘’Thanks for asking me this question. However, on a serious note, I am grateful to him to be part of the journey.’’

Dikec studied at the Gazi University School of Physical Training and Education in Ankara, and received a Masters in coaching from the Selcuk University in Konya, Turkey – which gives an insight about his future plans.

However, any plans for coaching can wait for now. ‘’We have a dream of landing the Olympic gold in LA 2028,’’ she added.

Dikec, meanwhile, 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 Delhi event.