The 2003 World Women's Handball Championship, the 16th handball world championship for women, was played in Croatia between 2 and 14 December 2003.
France won their first ever title, beating Hungary in the final.
Qualification
The following nations were qualified:
Preliminary round
Source:
- Tuesday, 2 December:
- Wednesday, 3 December:
- Thursday, 4 December:
- Saturday, 6 December:
- Sunday, 7 December:
| Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
Qualification
|
| 1
|
Russia
|
5
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
153
|
106
|
+47
|
10
|
Main Round
|
| 2
|
South Korea
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
165
|
113
|
+52
|
8
|
| 3
|
Austria
|
5
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
165
|
130
|
+35
|
6
|
| 4
|
Czech Republic
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
126
|
125
|
+1
|
4
|
|
| 5
|
Angola
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
119
|
120
|
−1
|
2
|
| 6
|
Uruguay
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
77
|
211
|
−134
|
0
|
Source:
- Tuesday, 2 December:
- Wednesday, 3 December:
- Thursday, 4 December:
- Saturday, 6 December:
- Sunday, 7 December:
| Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
Qualification
|
| 1
|
Ukraine
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
158
|
116
|
+42
|
9
|
Main Round
|
| 2
|
Norway
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
163
|
108
|
+55
|
8
|
| 3
|
Romania
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
158
|
123
|
+35
|
7
|
| 4
|
Japan
|
5
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
133
|
153
|
−20
|
4
|
|
| 5
|
Tunisia
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
118
|
133
|
−15
|
2
|
| 6
|
Argentina
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
74
|
171
|
−97
|
0
|
Source:
- Tuesday, 2 December:
- Wednesday, 3 December:
- Thursday, 4 December:
- Saturday, 6 December:
- Sunday, 7 December:
| Pos
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
GF
|
GA
|
GD
|
Pts
|
Qualification
|
| 1
|
Hungary
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
171
|
129
|
+42
|
8
|
Main Round
|
| 2
|
Slovenia
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
149
|
141
|
+8
|
8
|
| 3
|
Germany
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
144
|
121
|
+23
|
7
|
| 4
|
Denmark
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
113
|
119
|
−6
|
5
|
|
| 5
|
China
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
135
|
153
|
−18
|
2
|
| 6
|
Ivory Coast
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
5
|
117
|
166
|
−49
|
0
|
Source:
- Tuesday, 2 December:
- Wednesday, 3 December:
- Thursday, 4 December:
- Saturday, 6 December:
- Sunday, 7 December:
Main Round
Top two teams from each group advanced to the Semifinals. The third placed teams from each group competed in the 5th/6th placement match.
Group I
Source:
- Tuesday, 9 December:
- Wednesday, 10 December:
- Thursday, 11 December:
Source:
- Tuesday, 9 December:
- Wednesday, 10 December:
- Thursday, 11 December:
Final round
In Zagreb
Ranking and statistics
Final ranking
|
| 2003 Women's World Champions
 France First Title
- Team roster
Stéphanie Cano, Joanne Dudziak, Myriame Said Mohamed, Isabelle Cendier Ajaguin, Sophie Herbrecht, Estelle Vogein, Leila Lejeune, Isabelle Wendling, Sandrine Delerce, Myriam Borg-Korfanty, Mélinda Jacques-Szabo, Stéphanie Ludwig, Nodjialem Myaro, Valérie Nicolas, Véronique Pecqueux-Rolland, Raphaëlle Tervel. Head coach: Olivier Krumbholz.
|
All Star Team
- Goalkeeper:
Valérie Nicolas (FRA)
- Left wing:
Tanja Oder (SLO)
- Left back:
Olena Tsyhytsia (UKR)
- Pivot:
Isabelle Wendling (FRA)
- Centre back:
Anita Görbicz (HUN)
- Right back:
Bojana Radulović (HUN)
- Right wing:
Woo Sun-Hee (KOR)
|
Top Goalkeepers
Top goalscorers
Statistics
The total average number of shots and throws taken in the preliminary round was 51.79 with a shot efficacy of 52.46%. The greatest efficacy was acquired by shots at the goal line (70%). Teams won on average 4.58 penalty (7m) throws. The winning teams took on average 3.55 shots more that the defeated teams. Defeated teams were also 17.98% less efficient than the winning ones, not only in goal-scoring but also in number and efficacy of the fast breaks and assists.
Medalists
| Gold
|
Silver
|
Bronze
|
France
- Stéphanie Cano
- Joanne Dudziak
- Myriame Said Mohamed
- Isabelle Cendier Ajaguin
- Sophie Herbrecht
- Estelle Vogein
- Leila Lejeune
- Isabelle Wendling
- Sandrine Delerce
- Myriam Borg-Korfanty
- Mélinda Jacques-Szabo
- Stéphanie Ludwig
- Nodjialem Myaro
- Valérie Nicolas
- Véronique Pecqueux-Rolland
- Raphaëlle Tervel
Head coach : Mr. Olivier Krumbholz
|
Hungary
|
South Korea
- Oh Yong-ran
- Woo Sun-hee
- Huh Soon-young
- Lee Gong-joo
- Jang So-hee
- Kim Cha-youn
- Oh Seong-ok
- Huh Young-sook
- Moon Kyeong-ha
- Lim O-kyeong
- Park Jung-hee
- Lee Sang-eun
- Lee Min-hee
- Myoung Bok-hee
- Choi Im-jeong
- Moon Pil-hee
Head coach : ?
|
Literature
References
|
|---|
|
| International |
- World Championships
- Men's U-21
- Women's U-20
- Men's U-19
- Women's U-18
- University
- Wheelchair
- Men's Field Handball
- Women's Field Handball
- Youth Olympics
- Summer Universiade
- Emerging Nations
- IHF Inter-Continental Trophy
- Arab Games
- Mediterranean Games
| |
|---|
| Africa |
- African Championships
- Men
- Women
- Men's Junior
- Women's Junior
- Men's Youth
- Women's Youth
- African Games
|
|---|
| North America and Caribbean |
- North American and Caribbean Championship
- Pan American Games (Junior)
- Central American and Caribbean Games
- Central American Games
|
|---|
| South & Central America |
- South & Central American Championships
- Men
- Women
- Men's Junior
- Women's Junior
- Men's Youth
- Women's Youth
- Pan American Games (Junior)
- South American Games
- Bolivarian Games
|
|---|
| Asia |
- Asian Championships
- Men
- Women
- Men's Junior
- Women's Junior
- Men's Youth
- Women's Youth
- Beach
- Beach Youth
- Asian Games
|
|---|
| Europe |
- European Championships
- Wheelchair Handball Nations' Tournament
- European Open
|
|---|
| Oceania |
- Oceania Championships
- Senior
- Junior
- Youth
- Beach
- Pacific Cup
- French Pacific Championship
|
|---|
| Defunct | |
|---|
World Handball Championships |
|---|
IHF World Men's Field Handball Championship - IHF World Women's Field Handball Championship |
| Men's | | Tournaments | |
|---|
| Qualification | |
|---|
| Group B |
- 1977
- 1979
- 1981
- 1983
- 1985
- 1987
- 1989
- 1992
|
|---|
| Group C |
- 1976
- 1978
- 1980
- 1982
- 1984
- 1986
- 1988
- 1990
|
|---|
| Squads |
- 1938
- 1954
- 1958
- 1961
- 1964
- 1967
- 1970
- 1974
- 1978
- 1982
- 1986
- 1990
- 1993
- 1995
- 1997
- 1999
- 2001
- 2003
- 2005
- 2007
- 2009
- 2011
- 2013
- 2015
- 2017
- 2019
- 2021
- 2023
- 2025
|
|---|
|
|---|
| Women's | | Tournaments | |
|---|
| Qualification | 2025 |
|---|
| Group B |
- 1977
- 1981
- 1983
- 1985
- 1987
- 1989
- 1992
|
|---|
| Group C | |
|---|
| Squads |
- 1957
- 1962
- 1965
- 1971
- 1973
- 1975
- 1978
- 1982
- 1986
- 1990
- 1993
- 1995
- 1997
- 1999
- 2001
- 2003
- 2005
- 2007
- 2009
- 2011
- 2013
- 2015
- 2017
- 2019
- 2021
- 2023
|
|---|
|
|---|
- Team appearances (men's)
- Team appearances (women's)
|