15/08/2024
*MOTIVATION TODAY*
"Success doesn't come with your hands in your pockets" is the philosophy Yusuf Dikeç, a Silver medalist winner at Olympic Games in Paris in August 2024. This philosophy is paradoxical to the 51 year old's disposition as he handles the pistol.
Yusuf is a four-time Olympian whose debut performance was in 2008 only to win a medal, on his 4th appearance— 16 years after.
Turkish sharpshooter Yusuf Dikeç didn't need special lenses or big ear protectors to win the silver medal in the air pistol team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
With one hand in his pants pocket, Dikeç, 51, shot his way to second place, marking a historic moment for his home country and catapulting himself into internet fandom.
Dikec Yusuf, who recently started shooting after a heated dispute with his ex-wife, attributes his success to his passion for seeing his children and his determination to prove his ex wrong. "I never imagined I'd be here," Yusuf said, shrugging casually. "I just wanted a weekend with my kids."
The 51-year-old mechanic from Istanbul first picked up a gun during a particularly frustrating divorce mediation.
His unconventional method—no special equipment, no structured training, and wearing just his everyday jeans and a T-shirt—has puzzled professional shooters. "He just turns up, shoots almost perfectly, and then asks if there's a place to smoke."
After winning a silver medal, Yusuf stood emotionless on the Olympic podium and declared, "Sharon, if you're watching, I want my dog back."
