Japan's Miya Tachibana and Miho Takeda took the silver medal for a second straight Olympics in the synchronized swimming duet as the Russians maintained their dominance and won the event at the Athens Games on Wednesday.

News photoMiho Takeda (left) and Miya Tachibana perform during the duet routine final on Wednesday. The Japanese pair took silver in the event.

The Japanese pair, in second position behind Russians Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova after Monday's technical routine and Tuesday's free-routine preliminary, displayed finesse in a humorous "Japanese Doll" routine to receive 49.417 points to total 98.417.

But reigning world champions Davydova and Ermakova got 49.917 points for their nearly flawless final routine for the best total of 99.334. Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova of the United States took the bronze medal with 97.167.