Who is Yusuf Dikec, the Turkish shooter who went viral at the 2024 Olympics?

CHATEAUROUX, France (AP) — Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec has gone viral on social media for his seemingly casual attitude while shooting his way to a silver medal at the 2024 Olympics.

The most-shared images show Dikec shooting in a T-shirt with one hand in his pocket, a seemingly standard pair of glasses and an impassive look on his face. He's been likened to a regular guy competing at the Olympics, or even a hitman.

The 51-year-old is no newcomer, though. He's competed at every Summer Olympics since 2008.

Some memes contrast Dikec with his Serbian opponent Damir Mikec, who was wearing a blinder over one eye, a lens over the other and a large pair of ear defenders.

He did, and it made history.

Dikec and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan won the silver medal in mixed team 10-meter air pistol shooting Tuesday. It was Turkey's first-ever medal in Olympic shooting.

Mikec and Zorana Arunovic won gold for Serbia. The bronze went to India's Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh.

Unlike Dikec, his teammate Tarhan was competing with large ear defenders and a visor, as well as braids in the red and white colors of the Turkish flag. She was shooting with one hand in her pocket, too.

Dikec was 13th in his individual event and is now done at the Paris Olympics. He's looking ahead to the next Games in 2028, though. “I hope next in Los Angeles (for) a gold medal,” he said Tuesday.

Dikec seems to be embracing the trend, reposting a video compilation of Turkish-language memes about him to his Instagram page.

The shooting events were held around three hours' drive south of Paris. Dikec and Tarhan made the journey to the French capital Wednesday, where they were greeted with cheers at the Champions Park, an open-air venue where medalists celebrate with fans.

Shooters have some freedom about how they dress for competition.

Many shooters at the Olympic range in Chateauroux, central France, choose to wear visors to reduce the glare of the lights or so-called blinders over one eye to get a better focus for the eye which is looking down the sights.

It's not quite true that Dikec wasn't wearing any shooting gear. He had yellow earplugs to block out distractions while he shot in the final. They just weren't visible from the angle of the image which went viral.

Just like Dikec, Chinese rifle shooter Liu Yukun won a gold medal Thursday wearing earplugs but no blinder or visor.

Yes, South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji's confident demeanor and dramatic stance have brought praise on social media for her “main character energy”.

“The Olympic #shootingsport stars we didn’t know we needed,” the official Olympics account on X posted Thursday with pictures of Kim and Dikec.

Kim won silver in the women's 10-meter air pistol event Sunday behind her South Korean teammate Oh Ye Jin. Kim and Oh are roommates and Kim said she was pleased Oh got the gold because she sees her like a “youngest sibling”.

Kim is set to compete again Friday in qualification for the women's 25-meter pistol event.

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

R to L, India's Sarabjot Singh uses his phone to take a selfie with teammate Manu Bhaker, Serbia's Damir Mikec and Zorana Arunovic, and Turkey's Yususf Dikec and Savval Ilayda Tarhan after the medal ceremony of the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. Serbia won the gold medal, while Turkey and India won the silver and the bronze respectively. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

L to R on the podium, Turkey's Savval Ilayda Tarhan and Yususf Dikec, Serbia's Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec, and India's Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh pose for a photograph after the medal ceremony of the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. Serbia won the gold medal, while Turkey and India won the silver and the bronze respectively. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Turkey's Savval Ilayda Tarhan, left, and Yususf Dikec compete in the 10m air pistol mixed team gold medal event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Turkey's Sevval Ilayda Tarhan, left, and teammate Yusuf Dikec prepare to compete in the 10m air pistol mixed team qualification round at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Turkey's Savval Ilayda Tarhan, left, and Yususf Dikec pose for a photograph after winning the silver medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Chateauroux, France. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

TORONTO (AP) — José Berríos pitched seven strong innings to win his seventh straight start, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. drove in his 500th career run and scored twice, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Saturday.

Guerrero, 25, is the youngest player in Blue Jays history to reach 500 RBIs. Davis Schneider went 3 for 4 with a home run and drove in two as Toronto won its second straight.

Addison Barger had two hits and an RBI and Alejandro Kirk drove in a pair as the Blue Jays handed the Cardinals their first series loss against an AL East opponent in more than two years.

Berríos allowed one run and two hits, walked two and struck out four. He’s 3-0 in five career starts against St. Louis.

Ryan Burr worked the eighth and Luis Frías finished for Toronto.

Jordan Walker hit a solo home run, his third of the season, for the Cardinals. St. Louis came in 9-4 against AL East foes. They last lost a series to an AL East team by dropping two of three at Boston in June, 2022.

Walker opened the scoring with a two-out homer in the third, but Schneider tied it by connecting off Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson in the bottom half for his 11th home run and first since June 22.

Toronto chased Gibson and took the lead with a four-run sixth. Gibson exited after shortstop Masyn Winn’s throwing error on Ernie Clement’s bases loaded grounder allowed the tiebreaking run to score.

Ryan Fernandez came on and gave up Kirk’s RBI groundout, and run-scoring singles by Barger and Schneider.

Gibson (8-7) allowed five runs – one earned – and four hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out one.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: SS Leo Jiménez was scratched from the lineup because of a right index finger contusion and replaced by Clement. … OF Joey Loperfido departed after four innings because of left adductor discomfort, the team said.

UP NEXT

RHP Yariel Rodríguez (1-6, 4.42) is scheduled to start for Toronto Sunday as the Blue Jays look for the sweep. RHP Miles Mikolas (8-11, 5.55) starts for the Cardinals.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays' Davis Schneider rounds the bases after hitting a home run off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Gibson during third inning interleague MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday Sept. 14, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Gibson works against Toronto Blue Jays during first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday Sept. 14, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Davis Schneider celebrates in the dug out with teammate Luis De Los Santos after hitting a home run off St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Gibson during third inning interleague MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher José Berríos works against St. Louis Cardinals during first inning interleague MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday Sept. 14, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (18) rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher José Berrios during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Saturday Sept. 14, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

José Berríos of the Toronto Blue Jays throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during fourth inning interleague MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday Sept. 14, 2024. (Paige Taylor White/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher José Berríos works against St. Louis Cardinals during first inning interleague MLB baseball action in Toronto, Saturday Sept. 14, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)