The format in the speed skating is simple - they race in pairs but they are racing the clock, not each other. Every athlete only gets one go and the fastest time at the end takes gold.

Easy.

After 10 athletes, Nao Kodaira of Japan leads. But the Dutch contingent are yet to race. And they are fancied heavily.

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The Swiss skiing team are enjoying themselves...

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It's a bruising sport isn't it? Hutrs your knees just watching it.

Home athlete Jae Woo Choi gets a big reception but gets his take-off all wrong and lands on one leg. Off comes his ski, he ends up on his back and he'll be battered and bruised.

The women's 1500m long track speed skating is up and running.

Speed skating takes place on a 400m track featuring two competition lanes (outer and inner). All events, except the mass start and team pursuit, involve skaters competing against the clock rather than directly against each other in a knockout format; however, individual skaters do compete in pairs – one begins in the outer lane and one in the inner lane.

To ensure they cover equal distances, they change lanes each lap at the crossing straight (opposite to the finishing straight). For races which begin on the crossing straight, the first changeover takes place after one lap (rather than the race beginning with a changeover from a standing start).

How to get into ice skating

Rob Walker
Commentator on BBC TV

This is redemption for a man who was so disappointed with his performance yesterday. He becomes the first man in history to defend this title. And how much does this mean! So much heart and so much emotion.

Three very different stories on the podium. I think there is a little hint of relief from Martin Fourcade too. He has re-established himself after an uncharacteristically poor performance yesterday. He is back where he belongs - at the top. It's gold for Martin Fourcade.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

We've had Final 1 in the Moguls and there are 12 men still standing.

Sho Endo of Japan topped the standings on 82.72 with his team-mates Daichi Hara (3rd) and Ikuma Horishima (7th) also through.

The favourite Mikael Kingsbury finished fourth and has also advanced safely.

Great effort from Sebastian Samuelsson, who takes silver for Sweden, with Germany's Benedikt Doll taking bronze.

All three men missed just one target. That's the difference maker.

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Rob Walker
Commentator on BBC TV

Sebastian Samuelsson is only 20 years of age and he's on the verge of a huge medal here. What a performance from the young Swede. This is a big step up for him. He could be on the podium!

Martin Fourcade is just a few kms away from another Olympic gold.

It will be his fifth Olympic medal. Who's taking silver and bronze? Plenty of athletes still in contention but it's Benedikt Doll in second at the moment.

Caroline Chapman
BBC Sport in Pyeongchang

It’s almost medal time again at the Gangneung Oval.

The women’s 1500m speed skating title will be dished out and once again the Dutch could dominate.

They’ve picked up four medals already on this track, including a 1-2-3 in the women’s 3000m on day one.

However, the defending champion - Jorien ter Mors – failed to qualify for this event back in December so it’s down to compatriots Marrit Leenstra, Lotte van Beek and Ireen Wust to do the business. Wust is looking to add to the silver she’s already claimed in the 3,000m.

Away from the Netherlands, Japan’s Miho Takagi has this season’s fastest time and USA’s Heather Bergsma is the world record holder and world champion.

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Rob Walker
Commentator on BBC TV

There's the wave - exactly as he did in Sochi four years ago. He is skiing his way to a successful title defence!

Martin Fourcade to the range for the final time. He has loads of time. Breathe, relax, concentrate.

He has the rhythm, got the lot! He waves to the coaching staff - it's in the bag surely!

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Martin Fourcade is away and gone - unless he misses - but the race for silver and bronze is anyone's.

There's six or seven athletes neck and neck.

Rob Walker
Commentator on BBC TV

A great display of nerve there from Martin Fourcade. That display in the range is why he dominated the World Cup programme so much and why he came to these Games as a resounding favourite.

We cannot gift him the gold yet because there is still one more range to go but he looks back in the game and back in the mood.

This is what we are used to seeing. If we see the defending champion take gold I think we can expect to see an explosion of emotion.

Martin Fourcade is pushing on hard now, out on his own in the snow. After 8.4km he leads by 31.8 seconds.

If he hits the target with his remaining shots, it's a gold in the bag.

Rob Walker
Commentator on BBC TV

Oh there's the miss! There's the mistake from Arnd Peiffer! Everyone else was feeling pressure but Martin Fourcade held his nerve.

Every single man who he came into the range with missed at least one and he didn't. This is surely his race to lose now. It would mean a great deal to him!

Martin Fourcade is the reigning champion and now leads by 20 seconds.

Having established a big lead in Sochi, he felt confident enough to punch the air after hitting all five targets in the final shooting round, and was able to ski the final 2.5km at a fairly leisurely pace.

He later explained: “I knew that if I shot clean, I was Olympic champion. So my gesture was because I was so happy. It was no arrogance at all, it was just happiness.”

The Fourcade fist pump is now a familiar sight - he boasts 11 world titles, has won the overall World Cup crown in the past six seasons – and leads the current standings.

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Here they come. The top five all hit the range at the same time.

Arnd Peiffer misses his first shot! Martin Foucade goes clean and he could now open up a lead!

Germany's Laura Dahlmeier held her nerve to win the women's 10km biathlon pursuit in a time of 30.35 minutes and claimed her second gold medal of these Winter Olympics.

"It feels really great, it's amazing," she said.

"I don't know what to say because I felt really, really tired before the race and also during the race in the first laps.

"I just tried to stay focused and now I'm here again."

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