How Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec is becoming a cultural phenomenon

Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish shooter who shot to fame with his iconic one-hand-in-pocket pose during the Paris 2024 Olympics, has led his country to victory — this time helping the team win a gold at the European Champion League in Serbia.

Türkiye’s national athletes secured the gold by defeating host Serbia 3-1 over the weekend as Dikec and colleague Simal Yilmaz clinched the top prize in a decisive shoot-off.

Dikec’s shot to fame after he was pictured aiming for the Paris Olympics in the most casual way possible. His composure and ease have since become the stuff of legend and memes. TRT World caught up with him before the Serbia competition for an interview. While he exudes confidence, his journey has been a long one.

“I always say it’s not just about talent. Talent means nothing without discipline and hard work. If your goals are big, the sacrifices must match,” Dikec says.

“Our goal is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. God willing, we (have) started working. We will win the gold medal.”

The Turkish shooter’s remarkable composure in the mixed team 10-meter pistol event at the Olympics, where he claimed a silver medal alongside teammate Sevval İlayda Tarhan, transcended the boundaries of sport and resonated on the global stage.

Tarhan also accompanied Dikec to Serbia.

A long road to victory

Born and brought up in the southern province of Kahramanmaras in 1973, in his own words, Dikec is an “Anatolian man who was raised in a peaceful family.”

Sports has been his calling from a young age. At least the coaching part of it. Dikec graduated from Gazi University's Physical Education and Sports Coaching Department and earned a master’s in coaching from Konya-Selcuk University.

As far as shooting is concerned, he developed a liking for it as a kid during his primary and secondary years at the Military Gendarmerie School.

“I had a natural talent, but I realised talent alone isn’t enough to excel at shooting.”

While shooting a gun with protective goggles on doesn’t appear to be a physically exerting sport, Dikec says it requires a lot of discipline and sacrifice.

“You shape your life around the sport to reach those goals. It becomes the centre of your life. Social activities become limited, and you miss family time or holidays. But if you want to win, you have to put in the effort.”

Though Dikec had long been a respected figure within the shooting community, it was his newfound status as an icon of composure that propelled him to global fame at the Paris Olympics.

Tarhan, too, embraced the spirit of the moment, accessorising her performance with oversized earplugs and braiding her hair in red and white, a tribute to the Turkish flag.

Together, they crafted a memory that wasn’t merely about a medal but a shared gesture that united athletes, fans, and spectators in appreciation of simplicity under pressure.

Dikec’s story is one of persistence rather than immediate triumph, and he has a message for young people constantly looking for shortcuts in life.

“Look, I’m 51 years old, and I won a medal at my fifth Olympics, not my first, second, or third. It’s all about effort and hard work.”

A living brand

Dikec’s journey didn’t simply end on the podium. In the months since the Pairs Olympics, his famous ‘hand-in-pocket’ picture has not only become an emblem of calm under pressure but has also taken on a life of its own, leading Dikec into the world of intellectual property and cultural branding.

Following his Olympic triumph, the 51-year-old shooter ensured his legacy extended beyond a viral moment. Recognising the global impact of his now-famous pose—hand tucked into his pocket as he calmly aimed—he applied to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office to secure its rights.

“It wasn’t something I expected to take off so fast,” Dikec says. “But soon after the competition, I got the call from my lawyer, and we started the process. In fact, seven or eight people had applied to trademark my pose. None of them were me! So, I decided I had better apply myself. ”

Sparking a merchandising frenzy

On August 6, 2024, the final moments of the mixed team shooting event in Paris captivated viewers.

With one hand nonchalantly tucked in his pocket and his calm demeanour intact, Dikec became the image of poise under pressure. His gesture, dubbed the ‘Yusuf Dikec pose’, was quickly picked up on social media, with celebrities and fans mimicking his pose in viral posts.

Athletes from different sports, including Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, Australian pole vaulter Nina Kennedy, and Jamaican discus thrower Roje Stona, have struck the ‘Dikec pose’, further cementing its place in sporting culture. Even footballers like İrfan Can Kahveci of Fenerbahce and Cyriel Dessers of Rangers FC adopted the pose in UEFA Champions League matches.

Memes flooded the internet, and Dikec was humorously edited into famous pop culture scenes—most notably into the film Pulp Fiction, where he was placed between John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, casually holding his ground.

Beyond the online world, the pose sparked a merchandising frenzy, with Dikec’s image emblazoned on T-shirts, mugs, and smartphone cases.

The Turkish market, which has increasingly embraced sports and fitness culture, was particularly quick to adopt the products, reflecting the pride in Dikec’s achievement and his rise to global fame.

Serdar Ozturk, a senior brand consultant, weighed in on the broader significance of the Dikec pose.

“Michael Jordan’s iconic ‘Air Jordan’ pose represents something superhuman, an incredible feat of athleticism. But Yusuf Dikec’s pose is different—it’s human and accessible. That’s why it resonates so deeply.”

It’s this authenticity that has made Dikec a beloved figure, not just in Türkiye but globally.

But has the success and fame altered his outlook in any way?

“Not really. If I were younger, maybe I’d feel different. But at my age, the only thing that’s changed is that I now have a medal. I still go to the Turkish Olympic Preparation Center, eat in the same cafeteria, sit with the same friends, and drink the same tea.