Basketball: Women's European Championships begin in Poznan and Pruszkow

The group stages of the tournament will be played in Poznan and Pruszkow, with the finals held in Katowice. The top four teams in the tournament will qualify for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and that is the primary objective of the Polish team. Although Poland lacks experience, as it will play in the European Championships for the first time in six years, it is considered capable of reaching the top four. The team's main asset on the court will be Malgorzata Dydek, at 2.13 m. the world's tallest female player. The Russian team is considered the no. 1 favorite for the championship. (Rzeczpospolita, page 30)