Turkey’s viral Olympian Yusuf Dikeç inspires new celebration with nonchalant stance
By Ben Church, CNN
(CNN) — Turkey’s understated Olympian Yusuf Dikeç went viral for his nonchalant stance while competing in the air pistol mixed team competition event last week.
While his opponents took to the competition wearing specialized equipment, Dikeç helped Turkey win its first ever Olympic medal in shooting in what looked to be his everyday glasses and with one hand in his pocket.
Now, it appears Dikeç’s “insane aura” has inspired a new celebration that has spread across this year’s Games.
Chief among the athletes to adopt the new craze is Mondo Duplantis. The Swedish star – one of the greatest athletes of his generation – broke the world record on the way to winning yet another Olympic gold in the pole vault on Monday.
With the eyes of the world watching his celebrations, Duplantis appeared to mimic Dikeç’s cold stance – hand in a make-shift pocket and an outstretched arm holding an imaginary gun.
“Congratulations Duplantis,” Dikeç wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday, alongside a photo of Duplantis’ celebration.
“My man,” the pole vaulter replied on Friday.
Duplantis is not the only athlete to pay tribute to Dikeç’s laid-back look.
Jamaican discuss thrower Rojé Stona performed the same celebration after winning gold on Wednesday, while Australia’s Nina Kennedy was inspired to do the same after winning the women’s pole vault title.
The celebration was also seen again at the end of the men’s 10k marathon swim on Friday.
Dikeç has shared images of athletes copying his stance on his social media platforms, which have garnered many more followers since he competed in Paris.
For the Turkish shooter, though, his posture is nothing new. It’s something he said brings him comfort when competing.
“Shooting with my hand in my pocket has nothing to do with artistry. I am more motivated and feel more comfortable while shooting,” he told Turkish radio station Radyo Gol last week.
He added that the stance “is actually about bringing the body to equilibrium and focusing and concentrating.”
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
CNN’s Amy Woodyatt, Patrick Sung and Gul Tuysuz contributed reporting.
