The 1997 IHF World Women's Handball Championship took place in Germany 30 November – 14 December 1997. It was the first tournament with 24 teams. Denmark won its first World Championship title. Denmark's only defeat in the championship was by Macedonia.
The tournament was also remembered for a tragic incident in the stands during one match of the semi-final matches, between Denmark and Russia (32-22), when a fight broke out between a Danish and a German spectator. The fight developed into the German taking out a knife and stabbing the Dane. Another Danish spectator tried to intervene, but was stabbed himself. Both Danes soon died, and the German was soon arrested by the police. He admitted to the stabbing during the police interrogation, and said that he committed it while under the influence of alcohol.
Host Cities The matches were held in the cities of Berlin, Hanover, Saarbrücken, Hamburg, Sindelfingen, Neubrandenburg and Rotenburg an der Fulda. The semi-finals and finals were held in the Berlin in the Max-Schmeling-Halle.
Squads
Group stage Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Final round
Round of 16
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
For places 1-4
For places 5-8
Finals
Final standings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
World champions Lene Rantala Anne Dorthe Tanderup Helle Simonsen Camilla Andersen Tina Bøttzau Anette Hoffman Lone Mathiesen Janne Kolling Merete Møller Anja Andersen Gitte Sunesen Gitte Madsen Tonje Kjaergaard Susanne Munk Lauritsen Maybrit Nielsen Karina Jespersen
Trainer: Ulrik Wilbek
Top goalscorers Rank Name Team Goals 1 Indira Kastratović 71 2 Han Sun-hee 63 3 Tonje Sagstuen 59 4 Roxana Stănișor 57 5 Aleksandra Pawelska 55 6 Grit Jurack 547 Valentina Radulović 52Klaudija Bubalo 9 Anja Andersen 51 10 Monika Ludmilová 50
All Star Team Goalkeeper: Susanne Munk Wilbek Left Wing: Han Sun-hee Left Back: Franziska Heinz Center Back: Camilla Andersen Pivot: Natalia Deriougina Right Back: Tonje Sagstuen Right Wing: Natalia Malakhova
References
External links International Handball Federation