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Who Is Yusuf Dikeç, And Why Are People Calling Him 'Free User Ojisan'? Memes About Turkey's Olympic 'Hitman' Explained
Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikeç has gone viral online after a picture of him looking extremely casual while competing in a mixed shooting event at the 2024 Paris Olympics was shared online.
In the photo, Dikeç can be seen standing with one hand in his pocket and his other hand aiming at the target with his pistol, but to many people's surprise, the shooter was missing the "kit" commonly seen on Olympic shooting contestants.
Dikeç's decision to compete without specialized glasses or heavy ear protection endeared him to viewers, who were amazed to find out that he and his partner actually won a silver medal for their event.
From the Japanese side of the internet calling him "Free User Ojisan" to internet users joking about Turkey sending in a contract killer or assassin to the Olympics, here's a recap of all the memes and jokes about Yusuf Dikeç, the Turkish Pistol Shooter.
Who Is Yusuf Dikeç?
Yusuf Dikeç is a 51-year-old Turkish man from a village named Taşoluk in Turkey's Kahramanmaraş province. He used to be a member of the Turkish Gendarmerie, a military force, before he began competing in pistol shooting professionally in 2001.
In late July 2024, Dikeç participated in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics mixed shooting event with his teammate Şevval İlayda Tarhan, ultimately winning the silver medal in the 10m air pistol event.[1]
Why Is Yusuf Dikeç Popular Online?
A few days prior, South Korean shooter Kim Yeji went viral for her cool look during the Paris Olympics, but when photos of Dikeç competing with no specialized equipment besides his everyday glasses began making the rounds online, many internet users commented on how cool and casual Dikeç looked while still winning his team a silver medal.
After garnering viral fame for the aforementioned photo, Dikeç recreated his iconic pose later that day. Many internet users also dug into his public social media to find adorable images of him and his cat.
Why Is Yusuf Dikeç Being Called A "Free-To-Play Uncle" On the Japanese Internet?
Many Japanese users took a great liking to Dikeç's look, calling him 『無課金おじさん』or "Free User Ojisan." The nickname is a reference to gamers who choose to play video games without being expensive in-game add-ons or power-ups.
Japanese fan art of Dikeç began making the rounds online, with some artists dissecting his look and others drawing him in new and novel formats, including latte art.
Many Japanese internet users also compared Dikeç to the anime City Hunter, dubbing the show's theme song "Get Wild" over footage of him shooting.
What's Up With Jokes About Dikeç Being A Hitman Or Assassin?
Dikeç's calm and casual look during his Olympic showing also set off jokes about him secretly being a contract killer sent by Turkey to sweep up an easy medal. Jokes about Dikeç having to tone down his craft and land a silver such as to avoid suspicion were prevalent online, as was fan art depicting him as a dramatic assassin.
For the full history of Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikeç, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.