Turkish shooters Dikec, Tarhan win gold at European championship

Turkish shooters Yusuf Dikec and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan claimed gold in the 10-meter air pistol mixed team event at the European Shooting Championship on Monday, adding to their medal collection following Olympic success.

The Turkish team advanced to the final after scoring 580 points in qualification rounds, where they faced off against the Czech Republic’s Viktorie Sindlerova and Pavel Schejbal. In a closely contested final, Dikec and Tarhan emerged victorious with a 16-14 score to secure the championship title.

Serbia’s Zorana Arunovic and Damir Mikec took bronze in the event.

This victory marks another achievement for Tarhan, who also captured gold in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event earlier in the same competition.

Yusuf Dikec and Sevval Ilayda Tarhan’s Olympic success at Paris 2024

The European title comes after Dikec and Tarhan made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where they won silver in the identical mixed team event. That Olympic performance represented a breakthrough moment for Turkish shooting, as it secured the nation’s first-ever Olympic medal in the sport.

During those Olympic Games, Dikec stood out for his unconventional approach. He competed without headphones and even kept one hand casually in his pocket. His laid-back attitude gained attention on social media, where many admirers noted his ease under pressure.

Born Jan. 1, 1973, in Goksun, Kahramanmaras, Dikec is a senior chief warrant officer in the Turkish gendarmerie. He has represented Türkiye in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics and won medals at the 2013 Mediterranean Games in Mersin.