Spain`s European Championship hopes have been boosted with the news that power forward Felipe Reyes has come through a test on his suspect right ankle.

The Estudiantes player has struggled since picking up the injury in the end of season play-off defeat to Barcelona.

He had been reduced to exercise bike and pool work in the first week of Spain`s training camp in preparation for next month`s event, and it was beginning to look as if the team`s chances in a major tournament were once again to be hindered by injury.

Last September a thigh problem ruled Pau Gasol out of most of the World Championships, where Spain finished fifth after losing to Germany in the quarter-finals.

However, this week has seen a drastic improvement in Reyes' ankle and he is working hard to make up for lost ground.

"He will follow a different pattern in the morning to get up to the level of the rest of the squad," said physical trainer Diego Soto.

"We are not going to force things and people should remember we have an extra week to prepare things this season and for that reason we have a bit more time."

Meanwhile, after an intense opening week, coach Moncho Lopez`s squad are looking forward to seeing their workload reduced slightly.

"We have had six and a half days in which the players have had four sessions a day - one physical, one weights, one of shooting practice and a final one to work on tactics."

"From now on we are only going to have two sessions, one in the morning and the other in mid-afternoon," added Soto.