Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage from the second day of the Olympic synchronised swimming.
The Aquatics Centre plays host to the free routine phase of the women's duets today, in which 24 pairs will compete for a spot in the last 12.
Points from yesterday's technical routine are carried over, and Team GB's Jenna Randall and Olivia Federici have a strong chance of progression after finishing the day in ninth.
Russia's Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina go into the event as the firm favourites, ending the day at the top of the pile with an impressive score of 98.2.
5.33pmThat's all from me today. Join us at the same time tomorrow evening for the final!
5.32pmTeam GB's Jenna Randall and Olivia Federici have made it through to the final in ninth place with a score of 176.89.
5.31pmSo at the end of the qualification phase, the Russian's top the pile with 196.8 points, followed by China and Spain, but the good news for the home faithful is this...
5.30pmAn impressive and energetic repertoire from them, but they will also bow out today.
5.25pmTwins Etel and Sofia Sanchez conclude today's programme, performing to music from Broadway musical A Chorus Line.
5.23pmPamela Fischer and Anja Nyffeler gave it everything there. An admirably 82.12 for them, but they'll bow out here tonight.
5.21pmThe Swiss are our penultimate swimmers, and they have raised their game here despite being all but out of it.
5.19pmI can also tell you that Team GB are all but confirmed for tomorrow's final too.
5.17pmA bold performance from Mary Killman and Mariya Koroleva. It's a improvement on yesterday as far of the judges are concerned. They award 88.27, and that puts them top ten and within touching distance of the final.
5.14pmAnd they are interpreting it well with great synchronisations, fast movements, and a real display of strength. This will likely bring in a higher score than yesterday's performance, which left them in tenth.
5.13pmThe Americans have opted for Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' and John Williams's Olympic fanfare for their routine. Commendable choices there.
5.11pmThe Koreans, who are on the brink of a qualification spot, dug deep there to earn 87.46 and they leap frog Brazil with that tally, and may have put the South Americans out of it.
5.07pmThe South Koreans launch into a powerful, energetic and frantic repertoire. They don't let up for a second. This will certainly impress the judges.
5.07pm83.61 for them for them, and that isn't enough for a top 12 finish.
5.05pmThey put a lot into that, but there were one or two errors. Will the judges penalise them?
5.03pmTheir performance is hardly mediocre, however. Lots of dramatic shapes and kicks pulled off in unison with the music, building up to a powerful finish.
5.00pmThe Mexicans have chosen to perform to an Alan Silvestri piece from the mediocre film Beowulf.
4.59pmThe judges rate that performance at 83.52 for an overall score of 166.92. That won't be quite enough for the final. Britain remain safe for now.
4.57pmLively and energetic from them, but they lacked in strength at times. The execution was good, though.
4.55pmIsrael are up now, swimming to a jazzy number with elements of opera in there.
4.55pmBritain are in ninth with six duos to swim. It's going to be a nervy finish!
4.53pmThey were forth going in to today, and 94.75 will keep them in the hunt. They go above Japan into fourth and are safely through to the final.
4.51pmThe crowd are really responding to this one. What will the judges make of it?
4.50pmIt's as expressive and over the top as the name suggests. They remain poised and are likely to rack up some serious points for this.
4.48pmThe Canadians are up now, performing a routine called Jester - a recognition of the court jester's service to kings and queens. It's about time they got some credit!
4.47pmThey earn 96.71 for a total of 192.81 putting them above the Spanish into second place behind the Russians.
4.46pmThere's very little the judges can fault them on there. It's going to be tight at the top!
4.43pmThe sparkly-costumed Huang Xuechen and Ou Liu of China launch into an energetic and theatrical repertoire. They'll be keen to outdo their great rivals the Japanese.
4.40pmIt does! 93.2 overall for them and that will likely keep them among the chasing pack. We'll see them in the final for sure.
4.37pmYukiko Inui and Chisa Kobayashi interpret the traditional Asia score very creatively, demonstrating good posture in the water. This is looking good for high marks in execution and artistry.
4.36pmJapan are up now, and they are among the favourites.
4.35pmA score of 88.79 is considerably up on yesterday, giving them a total of 176.98. That moves them up into sixth and a place in the final looks likely!
4.33pmThey faltered on synchronisation at the end there. That was so unfortunate as they were excellent until then. How harsh are the judges going to be?
4.32pmThey switch between slow and graceful twirls to sharp poses, all in perfect unison. They crowd are clapping along to spur them on.
4.31pmIt's a powerful and dramatic repertoire set against an alternating classical medley.
4.30pmThe home duo are up and the crowd goes wild. Randall and Federici are off to a great start!
4.28pmTheir bat costumes are rather impressive, with huge bats emblazoned on them. Maybe the have been caught up in the hype surrounding The Dark Knight Rises? Probably not.
4.27pmA dramatic end to the repertoire there. They stop dead in the water like corpses. Disquieting.
4.26pmNice technique from the Austrians, who make those twirls look effortless.
4.24pmThe Austrians are powering through their routine to a nice classical medley that includes the iconic 'Night on the Bald Mountain'.
4.21pmThey were strong throughout them, demonstrating poise and precision. Their score of 90.74 makes for a total of 181.144, and they are looking good for tomorrow night's final.
4.17pmGiulia Lapi and Mariangela Perrupato of Italy are the next pair to take to the pool. They've twist and turn to a whimsical classical piece.
4.16pm86.04 for them and that's an improvement on yesterday, placing them in seventh. Qualification is not impossible but the competition is high.
4.12pmNice delicate movements from them to a powerful classical piece. It's a little heavy on splash, though. What will the judges make of that?
4.12pmSona Bernardova and Alzbeta Dufkova of the Czech Republic are up now. Czech them out!
4.11pmAnd the judging panel rates that at 88.34, an improvement on yesterday's score. That moves them into fifth position, and they look like they may edge through.
4.08pmA great performance all round from them containing subtle elements of ballet. That should score high in the artistic and technical stakes.
4.08pmA great performance all round from them containing subtle elements of ballet. That should score high in the artistic and technical stakes.
4.04pmIt's expressive and acrobatic stuff from them, pulled off with expert execution.
4.04pmHere come the French and they will be performing to a medley of six different classical pieces.
4.02pmA score of 79.08 puts them up into eight for the time being. A very slender chance of qualification for them.
4.01pmI'm sure he'd admire the physical strength and prowess the Hungarian duo displayed there. I think they'll score highly for that.
3.59pmI wonder what Guy Ritchie would make of this?
3.59pmI wonder what Guy Ritchie would make of this?
3.58pmThe Hungarians have also chosen a piece of music from Hans Zimmer's score to Sherlock Holmes. What is it about that film that has caught on at synchronised swimming clubs?
3.57pmThey score slightly higher than yesterday with a 77.48, and that's unlikely to leave them in the top twelve at the end of the day.
3.55pmIt's an energetic performance from Eloise Amberger and Sarah Bombell, but their synchronisation wasn't perfect. Will they be penalised for that?
3.52pmThe Australians have their work cut out here today, and they've launched into a speedy flamenco-inspired routine.
3.50pmThey've racked up 92.1 for a total of 184.34 and a ranking of third.
3.49pmOne or two errors on their arm movements, but this has been excellent!
3.46pmThe Ukrainians start off with some nice aquabatics to a dramatic classic score.
3.44pm87.0 for them, which is less than what they scored yesterday. It's going to be a nervy afternoon for them now.
3.43pmTheir costume designs reflected the theme, depicting organs in the human body. That falls somewhere between impressive and creepy for me.
3.42pmThe score they have chosen is a strange mish mash of samba drums and tribal influences. They're moving well with good synchronisation.
3.40pmBrazil's Nayara Figueira and Lara Teixeira go into this one hanging on in there in 12th. They've chosen the theme of the human body for their routine.
3.38pmThey earn 84.9, an improvement on yesterday for a total of 169.58. That gives them a slender chance of progression.
3.36pmSmooth transitions from them as they break into a variety of striking shapes. It's a good performance.
3.33pmAnna Kulkina and Aigerim Zhexembinova of Kazakhstan are performing to a piece from Hans Zimmer's Sherlock Holmes score. Who'd have thought that these two would have something in common with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law?
3.30pmThey lacked the finesse of the Russians, but who doesn't! A solid performance from them, earning 76.40 for a total of 152.1. They sit in fifth place for the time being, but are unlikely to make the final.
3.27pmThe Egyptians are up now, performing to a drum-heavy pieces with traditional Egyptian sounds (although there is a hint of an Indian influence in there too, I think).
3.25pmA sublime score of 98.6 for a total of 196.8. We can safely say that their score is unlikely to be topped.
3.24pmDespite moments where they look like they are performing an aquatic variation of the robot, their routine is a work of art, and will score high and execution and artistic merit.
3.22pmThis is their doll routine, so that explains the outfits. They are performing to a piece called 'Sleepy Hollow' with movements ranging from slow and graceful to swift and dramatic.
3.21pmHere are Russia's Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina, wearing bizarre costumes with dolls faces on them.
3.20pmThe judges award them 88.85 for a total of 178.04, moving them into second at this early stage.
3.15pmIt's kicking in now with some foreboding synth sounds, and they are moving in perfect unison to them.
3.14pmEvangelia Platanioti and Despoina Solomou of Greece are up now. Their costumes are dazzling, but they are at odds with the bittersweet classical piece they have chosen.
3.12pmThe judges award them 96.59, a good score that gives them an early lead on 192.59. That will keep the Russians on their toes at least.
3.10pmA rich and compelling repertoire from them, full of powerful kicks and graceful turns. They're damn flexible too!
3.08pmThey perform to an upbeat piano number, gliding around at a speedy pace, and the crowd are really getting behind Ona Carbonell Ballestero and Andrea Fuentes Fache.
3.07pmHere come the Spanish. These are among the favourites after coming in second yesterday.
3.04pmThey went into this lagging behind the frontrunners, and a score of 84.83 is unlikely to be enough to make the top twelve.
3.03pmThey mimic fencing with their limbs by twisting and turning in the water. It's a spectacle for the most part, but their timing wasn't always flawless.
3.02pmJang Hyang Mi and Jong Yon Hui start us off with dramatic movements to a piece called 'The Sword Dance'. I may be showing my ignorance by admitting that I am not familiar with this piece of music.
2.56pmWe'll be under way in just a few moments. There will be 24 duos performing here today, with the top 12 going through to the final.
2.47pmPoints accumulated yesterday will carry over to today's round, so Russia's Natalia Ishchenko and Svetlana Romashina are the red hot favourites, having come out on top with a points haul of 98.2.
2.42pmTeam GB's Jenna Randall and Olivia Federici put on an impressive display yesterday, and we're itching to see what they have in store for us today.
2.40pmGood afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the free routine phase of the women's duets in the Olympic synchronised swimming.
Written by
Mark Langshaw
Mark Langshaw
