Turkish Olympian Yusuf Dikeç has explained why he chooses not to use any specialised shooting equipment during competitions.
Yusuf gained widespread attention online this week after a photo of him participating in the 10 metre air pistol event at the 2024 Paris Olympics surfaced, showing him without any extra equipment.
Although Yusuf wore earplugs to block out distracting noises, he decided against using the specialised eyewear and headphones that many other competitors prefer.
For instance, South Korea’s Kim Yeji arrived at the competition with advanced eyeglasses.
Her glasses looked like they were straight out of a cyberpunk narrative, featuring a cover on one eye to help the other eye focus better down the gun’s sights.
Additionally, the eye she used for shooting was covered by a specialised lens to improve her view of the target.
Kim Yeji also wore a cap with a visor to reduce glare in her eyes.
In contrast, Yusuf chose to wear only his everyday prescription glasses for the competition.
Explaining his choice to Turkish media, he said: “I never needed that equipment. I am a natural shooter. That’s why I don’t use many accessories.”
Yusuf and his teammate Sevval Ilayda Tarhan went on to secure a silver medal for Turkey in the event.
This marked Yusuf’s fifth appearance at the Olympic Games in shooting events.
He previously commented after the event, saying: “I am just very happy about five Olympic Games. We were very strong today in our competition.”
Now, Yusuf and his teammate are aiming for a gold medal at the next Olympics in Los Angeles.
He stated: “We next [come] to Los Angeles and win a gold medal.”
Although Yusuf appeared calm and composed, his teammate revealed a different story.
She said: “He had so much anxiety, so much pressure on his heart. Our heartbeat is really beating. Is really so much beating. It is really hard to shoot in the final of the Olympic games.”
Many people took to social media to share their thoughts after an image of Yusuf casually aiming went viral.
One user commented: “I love how everyone uses specialized lenses for shooting to avoid blur and increase precision…
“But then Turkey sends out a guy who looks like he just picked up the gun for fun and wins silver.”
Another joked: “Did Turkey send a hitman to the Olympics?”
Back in the day, the Olympics awarded medals for art as well, with events including painting, sculpture, music, architecture, and even literature.
Making its debut at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm and continuing until the 1948 London games, juries awarded a total of 151 medals for artistic projects inspired by sport.
You might not have known that tug of war was once an Olympic sport. The event stirred plenty of drama, particularly at the 1908 London Olympics, where Team USA accused Team GB of cheating due to their ‘illegal’ heavy footwear.
Tug of war was featured in the Olympics from 1900 to 1920, and enthusiasts have since campaigned to bring it back.
In the 1900 Olympics, hot air balloon drivers competed in races, scoring based on distance traveled, altitude reached, precise landings, and the quality of photos taken from the balloon.
The sport was discontinued after a ban on motorised sports was introduced.
Also debuting at the 1900 Olympics was a grim event where competitors shot at live pigeons. The event only appeared once, during which around 300 pigeons were killed.
The event was quickly scrapped, but in 1906, people didn’t think twice about competitors shooting at each other with wax bullets.
Initially, competitors shot at dummies, but two years later, they began shooting at each other with wax bullets. The sport was discontinued after the 1908 Olympics, likely due to the realisation of its inherent dangers.