Yusuf Dikeç, one of the standout athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics, earned 300 Cumhuriyet gold coins (approximately 5.6 million TL) as part of his silver medal victory.
Turkey, which concluded the Olympic Games with 3 silver and 5 bronze medals, has distributed the cash prizes to its medal-winning athletes.
According to a report in Cumhuriyet Daily, no athlete received the 1,000 Cumhuriyet gold coin prize typically awarded to gold medalists this year due to regulations. Instead, silver medalists were awarded 600 Cumhuriyet gold coins, while bronze medalists received 300.
300 CUMHURIYET GOLD COINS
The standout athlete for Turkey at the Olympics was national shooter Yusuf Dikeç, who, alongside Şevval İlayda Tarhan, won a silver medal in the mixed team 10-meter air pistol event.
Unlike many other athletes, Dikeç used non-professional equipment and displayed a laid-back demeanor. His pose became iconic, imitated by athletes worldwide. The cash prize awarded to the 51-year-old athlete has now been revealed in Turkish lira.
Because this was a team sport, the prize money was divided accordingly. Dikeç and Tarhan each received 300 Cumhuriyet gold coins for their silver medal win.
VALUED AT 5.5 MILLION TL
With the prize money now distributed, Yusuf Dikeç earned an estimated 5.5 million TL. Turkey ranks among the top countries in terms of awarding high cash prizes for Olympic medals, with Hong Kong leading the pack.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China awards 25.4 million TL for a gold medal, 12.7 million TL for a silver, and 6.4 million TL for a bronze.
