Pre-tournament favourites Russia ended Spain´s dream run at the European Championships on Saturday night to reach the final - and qualify for the Olympics.

Riding the hot hands of Olga Artechina and Elena Baranova, who repeatedly hurt the Spanish with three-point shots at crucial times, Vadim Kapranov´s troops returned to a title game for the third year running.

Spain are looking to make history by qualifying for next year's Olympic Games with a win over Russia in Saturday night's European Championships semi-finals.

The Spaniards, unbeaten in this summer´s tournament, were nearly sent packing in the quarter-finals by Serbia & Montenegro but they eventually took the lead at the end of the third period and then completed a 76-74 triumph.

Spain claimed a remarkable 76-64 victory over Serbia & Montenegro on Friday in the last quarter-final of the European Championships to set up a rematch with Group B opponents Russia.

Vicente Rodriguez´s troops came into the game unbeaten but they trailed until late in the third quarter when inspiration from the most unlikely source helped them move past the Serbo-Montenegrins.