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Despite Russia being formally banned, a Russian won the grand prize at this year World Laughing Championship, as a wild card candidate.

 

Dimitriy Efimov survived number of intense laughter challenges including the  Diabolical Laugh, The Sad/Happy Laugh and the Snort Laugh while demonstrating a continuous irrepressible laugh himself. Efimov, who trains people to laugh in Russia, wins the coveted Dougie Award named after the late Doug Collins,

an American famous for his contagious laugh. Collins died tragically last year of COVID.
This is is Efimov's second championship title.

A number of other contestants would win individual awards. Marie Christine Pham-Funk of Austria won the category or Sexiest Laugh in the World while Canadian Laila Trogneux-Goosen was recognized for Achievement in Snort Laughing. Belgian Stephane Sylvestre of Belgium took the category for Rolling On the Floor and Laughing or  The ROFL.

“We were surprised a Russian won” said Championship co-host Albert Nerenberg. “But what’s interesting is Dmitriy Efimov has long dedicated himself to promoting laughter as a tool of peace and joy between peoples. We’re hoping that this might remind Russians they have many other talents. Make Laugh. Not War.”

 

The World Laughing Championships are an annual laughter contest pitting the best laughers in the world against each other. Most contestants have won national laughing championships. The contestants are judged by a live audience by the contagiousness of their laughter.

 

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