When participating in tournaments, shooters are seen with various equipment covering their ears and eyes. Throughout the process, these gadgets support their ability to remain focused and precise. However, an athlete with natural skill won’t need any equipment to perform well on stage. At the Olympics in Paris, a seasoned pistol shooter from Turkey demonstrated this argument. Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh of India won the bronze medal match in the mixed 10m air pistol shooting event, in which Yusuf Dikec took second place and the silver medal. In Paris, Dikec was teamed with Sevval Ilayda Tarhan.

In addition to his sporting accomplishments, Yusuf Dikec is becoming well-known for showing up to the tournament with very little equipment. Dikec disregarded the expensive earplugs and specialized goggles that his partner and other competitors were using. Rather, he chose to wear standard prescription glasses and put on plain earplugs to block out the sound of the bullets

On social media, a certain image of Yusuf Dikec with one hand in his pocket and the other pointing at his target has drawn a lot of attention. The image became very popular and sparked an online meme frenzy. One user said, “Turkey sent a 51-year-old guy with no specialized lenses, eye cover, or ear protection and got the silver medal,” on X, the previous Twitter platform.

One individual shared a photo of Yusuf Dikec and wondered, “Did Turkey send a hitman to the Olympics?”

Details about the equipment an Olympic shooter uses were disclosed by another individual. Olympic shooters employ tools including a lens to reduce blur, a lens to increase accuracy, and noise-canceling earplugs. “Then, with just a pair of glasses, a Turkish guy named Dikec came and won a silver medal,” he said.

Beijing was the Olympic venue for Yusuf Dikec’s 2008 debut. He has since appeared in all of the major event’s editions. Dikec’s bronze medal for the mixed team in Paris is his first medal of any kind from the Olympics.