The Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, who clinched a silver medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 has captured global attention with his distinctive style and relaxed demeanour. His memes are going viral and have made him an overnight star among the netizens. (Olympics Full Coverage | More Sports Stories)
Competing in the mixed team 10-metre air pistol event alongside Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, Dikec secured second place in Paris. But he gained much more popularity when he recently joined X, formerly known as Twitter and his conversation with X's owner Elon Musk went viral on the internet.
Dikec’s fame, however, extends beyond his Olympic achievements. A photo of him during the competition, exuding calm with a casual style, has gone viral. Unlike his competitors who often use specialised equipment such as headphones, special lenses, or hats, Dikec stood out in standard glasses, a T-shirt, and with his left hand casually in his pocket.
In one of his first posts on X, Dikec shared a photo from the Olympic event, which quickly became a popular meme. He directed his post at Elon Musk, writing, “Hi Elon, do you think future robots can win medals at the Olympics with their hands in their pockets? How about discussing this in Istanbul, the cultural capital that unites continents? @elonmusk.”
Musk responded, “Robots will hit the centre of the bullseye every time.”
This exchange has since gone viral, propelling Dikec further into the social media spotlight. Despite the internet frenzy, Dikec remains unfazed by his viral status. His relaxed style has even drawn comparisons to the iconic James Bond, with social media users dubbing him “The name’s Dikec. Yusuf Dikec.”
Amid the attention on Dikec, some have called for equal recognition of his partner, Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, who also adopted a casual hand-in-pocket stance, albeit with headphones and a visor.
Elon Musk also accepted his offer to visit Istanbul and commented, "I do look forward to visiting Istanbul. It is one of the great cities of the world."
