Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, right, during a time-out break at the 10m air pistol mixed team final, in Chateauroux, France, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The Turkish team won the silver medal. AP Photo/Manish Swarup
The Turkish shooter’s remarkable performance in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the Paris Olympics shows how competitive shooting enhances composure in high-stress situations.
By Todd Fletcher for Police1.com
I’m sure you’ve seen the videos and memes of Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec shooting his way to the silver medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
If you haven’t, do a quick search of his name and compare his approach to the event with that of his competitors. This man is calm, cool and relaxed, helping him deliver an incredible performance of marksmanship on demand.
Even more incredible is the situation in which he delivered this performance. Significant lead up to the Olympics provides ample opportunities for anxiety to build. But on the stage, under bright lights and surrounded by cameras and an international audience — without any noticeable affect on his ability to be calm and completely focused — Dikec delivered an incredible performance.
Competing and winning high level shooting events is nothing new for Dikec. He’s been competing in shooting sports since 2001 and winning medals in team and individual events for the past 20 years. In 2006, he set a new world record in the 25m center-fire pistol event at the CISM (Conseil International du Sport Militaire or International Military Sports Council) Military World Championships. But Dikec’s approach to helping his team capture the silver medal at the 2024 Olympics is unique because of his simple approach to excellence.
The gear
Normally, competitors in this highly precise event wear some equipment to help block distractions and give them a competitive edge. Even though the air pistols used are quiet enough to shoot safely without ear protection, most competitors choose to wear ear protection to shut out distracting noise such as other competitors and spectators. Restrictive clothing used to minimize the movement of joints, which adds support, is prohibited, but many competitors push the boundaries of this rule.
The single most common piece of equipment other than the pistol and ammo is the use of optical aids or shooting glasses. These aren’t your typical Oakley, ESS, or Bollé eye protection you wear on the range to see well, look good and protect your eyes from flying debris. These aren’t even the cheap plastic lenses you get at the hardware store for a dollar. These are custom made and highly adjustable “optical aids.” They only have one glass lens because these competitors don’t shoot with both eyes open. One eye is occluded with a material that completely blocks the shooter’s focal and peripheral vision. The lens the shooter sights through can be a prescription lens usually corrected for distance vision. But it doesn’t stop there. It has an adjustable diopter over the lens the shooter can adjust for the specific lighting on the range where the match is shot. The goal is to use as little light as needed to see their sight picture and the bullseye.
In contrast to the cyborg-like look of his competitors, Dikec looked like he was dressed to go pick up milk at the corner store. He wore a t-shirt, dark pants and glasses that looked more at home in a college classroom than on a shooting range. To top it off, he stood at the line with his hand in his pocket as if casually waiting to pay for his jug of milk. To quote the late Stuart Scott, Dikec looked “as cool as the other side of the pillow.”
Mental resilience
There are many terrific quotes from Wyatt Earp, the famed lawman from the notorious gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Earp once said, “Shooting at a man who is returning the compliment means going into action with the greatest speed of which a man’s muscles are capable, but mentally unflustered by an urge to hurry, or the need for complicated nervous and muscular actions which trick shooting involves.” What does this mean? Don’t lose your head, stay focused, apply your training and don’t rush to miss. Or as Hall of Famer Coach John Wooden used to say, “Be quick but don’t hurry.”
I don’t know much about Dikec’s training routine, personal habits, or mental wellness, but I do know that Dikec is the best illustration I’ve seen of how competitive shooting can benefit law enforcement officers and firearm instructors when it comes to not letting the moment seem too big. The stress of competitive shooting isn’t the same as life-threatening combat stress. There is no expectation of death or serious physical injury playing these games. However, everything is done without warming up, it’s performed under time duress, and in front of fellow competitors and spectators. These factors combine to ramp up the pressure and test the skills you need to prevail in a gunfight where there IS the actual possibility of death or serious physical injury. I’m not saying you will look as calm as Dikec in a gunfight or during a match, but the preparation for these events will help reduce some of the anxiety about the application of marksmanship under pressure.
Competitive shooting isn’t all about performance under pressure. I’ve heard some law enforcement officers say, “Competitive shooting will get you killed!” These are the ones who have never shot a match and have no idea what they’re talking about. Competitive shooting isn’t training. Competitive shooting is a test that will expose the same weaknesses you will have on the street under the stress of a gunfight.
Get out and compete
Take a page out of Dikec’s book. You don’t need the best equipment in the world to be competitive. You just need to get out there and compete. That’s the most difficult part. There isn’t a $3,000 wonder-pistol and magic 9mm that will make you perform like an Olympian. No matter what holster and belt you’re wearing, it won’t give you the skills of a world champion.
If all you have is duty gear, grab it and go! Not only will this give you time using the same gear you use at work, but it will also save you time and money until you have some experience and decide how seriously you want to get involved in competitive shooting. The gear you have, some ammo, an open mind and a good attitude are all you need to start.
Get to the range!
When you attend your first match, set some reasonable expectations. First, do not expect to win. Don’t even expect to be one of the best shooters. Set your ego aside. A good first goal is to learn the rules and how to shoot the courses of fire safely. Far too many law enforcement officers stay away from competitive shooting because they let their ego get in the way. The other competitors don’t expect newcomers to perform well regardless of your occupation. Most clubs are happy to have you there and will be supportive and helpful. In other words, don’t let your ego prevent you from improving your skills.
Competitive shooting is a learning process and will make your department firearms training and qualifications simple and stress free. Like Dikec, you will learn to manage the anxiety and stress of the moment. You don’t need to start with any fancy gear or equipment. Just take your existing gear and give it a try. You may not be as calm and cool as Dikec, but you’ll have a good time, meet some great people and improve your skills.
Todd Fletcher is the owner and lead instructor for Combative Firearms Training, LLC providing training for law enforcement firearms instructors from coast to coast. He has over 25 years of training experience as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor. He retired after more than 25 years as a full-time police officer and over 31 years of law enforcement experience.
Todd is a member of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) and the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). He is a member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), and was selected as the 2022 ILEETA Trainer-of-the-Year. He is also a member of the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors (IALEFI) and won the 2023 IALEFI Top Gun Award. He can be reached at [email protected].
